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Legal to use Apple Watch while driving in ANY STATE?
- Thread starter MultiMediaWill
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Good question. I've wondered about this myself. Would it fall into the "texting while driving" category (although technically it's not a phone, it has a screen and many of the same functions as a phone, and takes your eyes off the road)?
I say it does. You can use your voice to text and send messages. It does take your eyes off the road to check the watch.
Georgia's law was written in such a way that any device that can access the internet is illegal to use when driving.
My standalone Garmin has Internet access, phone and text capabilities,live cameras,live traffic although I doubt the cops would ever realize.
Washington State: a person operating a moving motor vehicle while holding a wireless communications device to his or her ear is guilty of a traffic infraction.
a person operating a moving noncommercial motor vehicle who, by means of an electronic wireless communications device, sends, reads, or writes a text message, is guilty of a traffic infraction. Exception: A voice-operated global positioning or navigation system that is affixed to the vehicle and that allows the user to send or receive messages without diverting visual attention from the road or engaging the use of either hand
Legal! Mostly...
a person operating a moving noncommercial motor vehicle who, by means of an electronic wireless communications device, sends, reads, or writes a text message, is guilty of a traffic infraction. Exception: A voice-operated global positioning or navigation system that is affixed to the vehicle and that allows the user to send or receive messages without diverting visual attention from the road or engaging the use of either hand
Legal! Mostly...
I don't think that statement is true. It's the typing in of addresses while driving that is illegal. If you program the address in before you begin the trip, you aren't doing anything wrong.
How do you hold your wrist up to your vision and use your other hand to control the thing whilst holding the steering wheel and looking at the road? Not that I condone using your iPhone while driving, but at least iPhones CAN be operated one handed. The watch, essentially, cannot.
Voice activation. I don't text and drive, but if I really need to know what text came in on my phone while I'm motoring, I say "hey, Siri, read text."
I suspect the watch would be covered under many states existing "Distracted Driving" statutes but that is only speculation.
For example, in some states the law that prohibits texting while driving is the same that prohibits eating while driving as well.
Am I rambling?
What's the difference between looking at your apple watch and normal watch while driving? I feel it will be hard to really substantiate a driver being guilty.
As an active supported and pusher for House Bill 25 in Texas, I know that there are no laws that say "no texting and driving"
The laws generally ban the usage of handheld devices. Depending on how the officer interprets it, touching the watch makes it a "handheld device" because it requires you to touch it to use. Just because you mount your phone to your radio and then you touch it doesn't make it a handheld device.
Now I'm sure no officer can pull you over for a glance over at your wrist and a tap or slide. But if you put your arm in the middle of your face and are blatantly focusing on that over the road, I know I would pull you over.
The laws generally ban the usage of handheld devices. Depending on how the officer interprets it, touching the watch makes it a "handheld device" because it requires you to touch it to use. Just because you mount your phone to your radio and then you touch it doesn't make it a handheld device.
Now I'm sure no officer can pull you over for a glance over at your wrist and a tap or slide. But if you put your arm in the middle of your face and are blatantly focusing on that over the road, I know I would pull you over.
Take that to court and win... so what about the internet enabled cars? Illegal?
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Take it to court you'll win.
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It is... the first person to push the issue in court will win.
Just, don't. God please don't. Pay attention to driving, you're piloting a giant hunk of metal that can kill people. Quit fiddling with your phone, watch, or whatever and pay freaking attention fool.
Thus far, Officer Jessie Myers of the Gwinnett County Police hasn't lost. Now, it could happen but the way the law is written, he is correct that it is illegal. I wrote the Police Chief, Butch Ayers about it. His response was to refer me to the OCGA.
Someone who works for me, had her iPhone 5s in a bracket on her windshield. She always uses SIRI to program it. She never touched the iPhone. Officer Jessie Myers of the Gwinnett County Police Department rode up behind her convertible and then was beside her at a traffic light. He pulled her over and wrote her a citation for it. The way the law is written, using your phone for anything other than a call is illegal in Georgia. This officer has written more tickets than any other department in the state for it. His tickets thus far stand. Most pay them but those few that take them to court, lose. He hasn't lost one yet.
She since bought a $100 GPS but she complains about having to hide it every time she parks.
Hmmm. Using my 8.4" touch screen that has internet access that came from the factory in my car isn't "illegal". Catch-22?
Regardless, at the end of the day what it comes down to is self-dicipline and some common sense. I am NOT saying that I am smarter or better than anyone, but I do not even touch my cellphone when driving. When I have my kids in the car I try to teach them that the phone is off limits when driving. So when they are old enough hopefully they will do the same.
Before I bought my car that shows my calls, reads my texts etc.... My pebble was fantastic in that when I got a call or text I could do a quick glance without really taking my eyes off the road.
Regardless, at the end of the day what it comes down to is self-dicipline and some common sense. I am NOT saying that I am smarter or better than anyone, but I do not even touch my cellphone when driving. When I have my kids in the car I try to teach them that the phone is off limits when driving. So when they are old enough hopefully they will do the same.
Before I bought my car that shows my calls, reads my texts etc.... My pebble was fantastic in that when I got a call or text I could do a quick glance without really taking my eyes off the road.