Ontario Judge Finds Woman Guilty of Distracted Driving for Looking at Apple Watch

[69Mustang]

Checking your watch 4 times at a red light seems like NBD to me... could have an important meeting and be super nervously checking to see how much time you have until it.

Checking your watch 4 times in 20 seconds says to me you're reading something on the watch while periodically checking to see if the light has changed.

I mean... who doesn’t sometimes look at their phone at a red light? They often last several minutes and you’re not moving, so it’s not dangerous. Worst case is you miss when it turns green and waste your time + the time of individuals behind you... but if they didn’t honk, then they’re just as distracted as you are (or you’re wasting no one’s time but your own.)

Not dangerous? Driving is an offensive and defensive task. You avoid accidents by paying attention... to what you're doing and what everyone else is doing around you. And in this case, you avoid a ticket.

What if they’re lost and don’t want to do something silly so they’re checking their map before they go through the junction? It happens. I’m a new driver and I do it sometimes. Takes a while to get used to the delay in GPS nav systems. I’d rather someone in front checked their map before they move off rather than swerve into me as I pass.

If they don't want to do something silly, they're not checking their map before going through the junction. That is plain dumb and dangerous. I can't tell if you're serious or trying to parody a brand new teen driver. Honestly bud, you shouldn't be on the road... at all. Based on what you've posted, a defensive driving course is in order. If you need to do any of that stuff, get off the road. None of that should be handled in traffic, whether stopped at a light or not. You're a danger to yourself an everyone else around you.

 

[goonie4life9]

This is true but it is not what happened in this situation. The person was stopped at a light. There was no way for this person to hit another car. This is a case in which the current zeitgeist led to someone getting a ticket while the actual process-level issue (distracted driving) was ignored.

Just the other day someone started drifting into my lane. Looked over and observed the driver looking at their phone. When I blasted my horn, they looked over briefly, swerved back into their lane but kept looking at their phone. Awful to think their text or tweet was more important than my life.

I drive a lot of miles per year. I can tell from a distance if the driver is distracted. Not just drifting into other lanes, but slowing down to 10 miles per hour under the speed limit. Used to think it was a drunk driver. Not anymore. 9 our of 10 times when I pass the vehicle I see someone looking at their phone.

 

[RaceTripper]

This is what happens there is zero crime and the cops are bored in white neighborhoods. Stories like this are a distraction from far more pressing dangers like climate change, Russian-bought elections, alcohol, tobacco, and assault weapons.

LOL...that's a strawman argument – completely besides the point.

 

[ProTruckDriver]

I was rear ended and my car was totalled by an iPhone user who was distracted. She admitted to being on her Iphone talking and didn't see the red light. Irks me to no end seeing people staring at their phones going 75 on the highway. The voice nav in our car works as well as Google maps anyway and comes across the car speakers even turns the volume of music down. So does Google maps but either way I don't need look at a cell phone for nav .

I also was rear ended by a distracted driver while I was sitting at a red light. Teenager texting. I have lower back and neck injury that will last me the rest of my life for someones stupidity! Not to mention my SUV was new with less than 3,000 mile on it.

 

[goonie4life9]

In many places, even using your device while pulled-over is against the law. The issue is not the use of electronic devices. The issue is doing something else while driving. That something else could involve many things, such as looking at a physical map, eating food, grooming oneself, turning to talk to someone, etc.

The issue people have with this situation is that the person was stopped (and thus couldn’t actually hit someone’s car) but because the person was looking at an electronic device (the current zeitgeist), the person received a ticket. Had the person been doing something that didn’t involve an electronic device but still led to them taking 5 s to respond to the green light, no ticket would have been given.

Checking your watch 4 times in 20 seconds says to me you're reading something on the watch while periodically checking to see if the light has changed.

Not dangerous? Driving is an offensive and defensive task. You avoid accidents by paying attention... to what you're doing and what everyone else is doing around you. And in this case, you avoid a ticket.

If they don't want to do something silly, they're not checking their map before going through the junction. That is plain dumb and dangerous. I can't tell if you're serious or trying to parody a brand new teen driver. Honestly bud, you shouldn't be on the road... at all. Based on what you've posted, a defensive driving course is in order. If you need to do any of that stuff, get off the road. None of that should be handled in traffic, whether stopped at a light or not. You're a danger to yourself an everyone else around you.

 

[surf2snow1]

$400 is not enough. Make it $4000 and maybe people will get a clue. And yes, it makes sense to me that a smart watch is potentially more distracting considering how small the screen is for Reading. The key point is that she was distracted and didn’t react to the light.

Factor in insurance rates for the next 5 years too. I don’t think insurance companies like these kind of tickets.

 

[smirking]

If you aren’t allowed to glance at illuminated screens in a car then we have to ban GPS displays, infotainment systems, HUDs, digital dashboards - pretty much anything with pixels.

I believe what you described is actually more or less the case by the letter of the law. It's just that few people are ever busted for doing something so minor. It's a judgement call on the part of the cop.

Not that I'm perfect in this regard myself. I'm sure I could have been ticketed at least half a dozen times in the past decade or so if I was being observed.

 

[Seanpatrickh]

Hmm... It was dark out and he "saw" her looking at her watch. So dark that he saw the device illuminate and also had to shine a light into her car. No wonder he is a police office, that is some amazing night vision.

 

[69Mustang]

In many places, even using your device while pulled-over is against the law. The issue is not the use of electronic devices. The issue is doing something else while driving.

100% agree. That's why my comment focuses on distracted driving instead of the watch.

Had the person been doing something that didn’t involve an electronic device but still led to them taking 5 s to respond to the green light, no ticket would have been given.

This is not true at all. That cop could have pulled her over for impeding traffic. The fact that he saw the cause of the delay (her interacting with the watch) simply sealed her fate. The cop could have seen her spill coffee or food, have the same delay, and given her a ticket. Tickets are discretionary, so there's no hard and fast rule that says e-device gets a ticket and something else doesn't.
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The issue people have with this situation is that the person was stopped (and thus couldn’t actually hit someone’s car)

Vehemently disagree here. She was't actually stopped. She was paused by holding her foot on the brake. A car in Park is stopped. Pedantic I know. She could have easily caused an accident by panic starting. She could have been the victim in an accident by someone paying attention to the light and not her not moving. There's no justification that works.

 

[Rogifan]

So we still don’t know exactly what she was doing? She just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and a cop needs to meet his quota? What are they going to do next? Ban people from exec wearing a smartwatch while driving?

 

[expiredyogurt]

Can't believe there are people defending the women in this case. she was caught looking at her watch 4 times within 20 seconds and failed to move when the light turned green. this seems like a pretty obvious case of distracted driving.

you don't need to see your watch 4 times to see the time. not only is it at your dashboard, you should only flip your wrist once to see the time. she is definitely doing something more than just checking the time. probably dictating a message / talking on a call.

also, navigating with apple maps on your watch is brilliant, they tap your hand when its time to turn left or right so you theoretically shouldnt need to look at your watch too. this feature was implemented specifically for drivers. it makes me look smug too when im walking downtown and my watch tells me where to turn without me looking at it like a lost tourist and get shanked at the back by robbers / thief.

there are so many accidents that can be prevented if drivers were not distracted while operating a hundred pound vehicle but no, they decide to do so and cost the lives of others. those using police ticket quota as justification is just shameless. you knew you were doing something wrong but ofcourse, victim blaming is the best way to go at it and accuse the cops for trying to mess with you

 

[x.marX]

What if they’re lost and don’t want to do something silly so they’re checking their map before they go through the junction? It happens. I’m a new driver and I do it sometimes. Takes a while to get used to the delay in GPS nav systems. I’d rather someone in front checked their map before they move off rather than swerve into me as I pass.

Not a great idea !

When I'm travelling to unknown locations, I would do a "walkthrough" of the route before setting out using gmaps. Then, I would just listen to the voice prompts and drive accordingly !

 

[H2SO4]

Right there in the first paragraph.
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Distracted driving is more dangerous than drunk driving. Driving while eletronically distracted is the same as having four drinks and getting behind the wheel. Distracted driving is increasing while drunk driving is decreasing, and anti-distraction laws are already hard enough to enforce. Cops should ticket it whenever they see it. I’m sure you’d say the same if a member of your family was run over by a texting driver. Rather than attack the officer who did his job, I’ll say that the problem is that distracted driving laws aren’t enforced enough.

That's too simplistic. If they really wanted to stop it there'd be no car stereos or hands free kits. I've seen LOADS of people changing stereo channels and messing with other stuff behind the wheel.
Whilst she might have deserved a ticket, he was being opportunistic. If you notice she's distracted, tell her immediately and ticket then and there if you really need to. Don't wait for her to mess up. That mess up could have been her watching the wrong set of lights and moving off.
Just like drink driving where you don't actually need to be driving the vehicle. If she's too distracted deal with it as soon as you see it.

 

[bopajuice]

This is true but it is not what happened in this situation. The person was stopped at a light. There was no way for this person to hit another car. This is a case in which the current zeitgeist led to someone getting a ticket while the actual process-level issue (distracted driving) was ignored.

I think this is absurd. I understand that many feel the cops should have better things to do, and that looking down at a watch is no big deal, but when the light turns green and you are still sitting at the light you pose a danger.

Another time I was at an intersection and the light turned green. The car next to me did not continue. They sat there for a few seconds as I drove off. I don't think they were distracted on a phone. I think the driver was looking off into space thinking and not paying attention. (I guess that would be considered another form of distraction), unfortunately a car coming up from behind saw a green light, did not realize there was a driver still sitting at the light, and hit him from behind.

Now before you go off on a tangent claiming it was the drivers fault that him him from behind, I agree. The driver approaching the light should have been more careful. My point is waiting at a green light after it turns green is dangerous for everyone. Hence the ticket. Get it?

 

[bretterson]

There’s no need to use a smart watch or phone while driving.

The time is on your dashboard. Your phone calls and messages can wait for the length of the journey. Notifications won’t suddenly disappear.

I think it’s selfish that drivers are willing to put others at risk just to keep ‘check’ on their social lives, when for many of these messages/apps, the only way to respond appropriately is to use a phone in the first place.

She was stopped. Please provide specific examples of how checking a watch while stopped at a red light puts others at risk.

 

[mikethemartian]

The only time I use my phone when driving is for turn by turn navigation. I don’t look down at it but rather raise it briefly to the top of the steering wheel so I can still see the road. It doesn’t distract me anymore than checking the speedometer. It distracts me less than if I try to look at the navigation system installed by the auto manufacturer since to look at it I need to look to my right and slightly downward. I look at it only briefly and when traffic is sparse around me. I am actually more concerned about being distracted when I start thinking about daily life, work, etc.

 

[FrankieTDouglas]

Canadians seem to love their government. Now their government gets to rule over whether citizens can look at the time on their wrist or not.

 

[twistedpixel8]

Checking your watch 4 times in 20 seconds says to me you're reading something on the watch while periodically checking to see if the light has changed.

Not dangerous? Driving is an offensive and defensive task. You avoid accidents by paying attention... to what you're doing and what everyone else is doing around you. And in this case, you avoid a ticket.

If they don't want to do something silly, they're not checking their map before going through the junction. That is plain dumb and dangerous. I can't tell if you're serious or trying to parody a brand new teen driver. Honestly bud, you shouldn't be on the road... at all. Based on what you've posted, a defensive driving course is in order. If you need to do any of that stuff, get off the road. None of that should be handled in traffic, whether stopped at a light or not. You're a danger to yourself an everyone else around you.

I was obviously meaning a quick glance at the map, not a “I’ll sit here for 5 minutes trying to figure it out.”

Also I’m guessing you don’t live in the UK. Many of our traffic systems are utterly ridiculous, particularly where I live. Even experienced drivers find them baffling.
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I believe what you described is actually more or less the case by the letter of the law. It's just that few people are ever busted for doing something so minor. It's a judgement call on the part of the cop.

Not that I'm perfect in this regard myself. I'm sure I could have been ticketed at least half a dozen times in the past decade or so if I was being observed.

In the UK there is no such law. Using a phone is obviously illegal but glancing at your satnav isn’t - at least that’s what my instructor told me.

Not a great idea !

When I'm travelling to unknown locations, I would do a "walkthrough" of the route before setting out using gmaps. Then, I would just listen to the voice prompts and drive accordingly !

Yeah I do the google maps thing too but occasionally you end up at lights and you’re not sure if you’re in the correct lane. Obviously you know you’re in the correct lane *if* signs/marking direct you but I quite often come across junctions (in the UK) where the arrow on the road is so worn that it’s illegible. I’ve seen people go straight on in one of these that turns out to be left-only and then have to slam on the brakes because there’s only one lane ahead and it’s for the guy to his right.

All I meant was a double check glance to see if what you believe is correct, is actually correct.

 

[Mac 128]

Could she have just been checking the time? How many ppl get a ticket because of being distracted by their fast food drive through pickup or a loud song on the radio? I bet hardly any.

I’m against cell phone being used in cars by drivers but this seems a bit much. What about phones clipped to the dashboard for navigation? Are those banned too?

Do you have an Apple Watch?

They have quickly morphed from Jony Ives’ original statement: ‘the watch is intended for quick glances, anything more and the user should pull out there iPhone’

The watch is now a miniature iPhone, able to scroll through complete texts, and make responses, read news articles, make phone calls without a phone, and all with a screen 1/10th the size of the iPhone. Even someone with 20/20 vision is going to have to make some adjustments and change their focus to use a display that small for much more than glances.

So she was she just checking the time four times in a row in :20? Let’s think about that ... 1) checks the watch, it’s 8:15; 2) 5 seconds later checks again, it’s still 8:15; 3) checks again 5 seconds later — yup still 8:15; 4) checks again 5 seconds later — depending on when she started checking it might actually be 8:16!! So why was she checking the time like this? Timing the light? Maybe. What’s missing from this story is how long her head stayed down looking the watch each time. Most likely she was reading text messages or other notifications coming in.

And that’s the problem. Drivers are not supposed to be looking away from traffic for any significant lengths of time, reading things unrelated to driving, as it’s not just the reading of the message, but the focus and thought directed at the message before, during, and after, that is not spent on traffic.

The Apple Watch delivers far more detail than a simple wrist watch, and if people are using it inappropriately while driving, it could actually be far more dangerous than a phone clipped to the dashboard.

 

[sychox51]

I HATE being behind people like this at stoplights as they sit there 5 seconds after it turns green. You can see them looking down. At my city light in the morning there's a very long line of traffic and many people that could have gone through get stuck for another cycle.

This. At first I was like “eh this is kind of bs.” But when I read she didn’t move when the light turned green? I’d be LAYING on the horn. PAY ATTENTION. Glad she got ticketed

 

[fairuz]

Could she have just been checking the time? How many ppl get a ticket because of being distracted by their fast food drive through pickup or a loud song on the radio? I bet hardly any.

I’m against cell phone being used in cars by drivers but this seems a bit much. What about phones clipped to the dashboard for navigation? Are those banned too?

If you sit at a green light for 20 seconds, it's clearly distracted driving in any case. If you claim to just be checking the time that entire duration on a watch, esp when your car has a clock anyway, then that's also lying to the police.

 

[ignatius345]

Could she have just been checking the time? How many ppl get a ticket because of being distracted by their fast food drive through pickup or a loud song on the radio? I bet hardly any.

I’m against cell phone being used in cars by drivers but this seems a bit much. What about phones clipped to the dashboard for navigation? Are those banned too?

Checking the time for so long she didn't notice the light changed? Please.
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What if they’re lost and don’t want to do something silly so they’re checking their map before they go through the junction? It happens. I’m a new driver and I do it sometimes. Takes a while to get used to the delay in GPS nav systems. I’d rather someone in front checked their map before they move off rather than swerve into me as I pass.

Yeah. All those people are "checking their maps". That adds up.

 

[lec0rsaire]

I could understand if someone couldn’t stop staring at a blue Patek Nautilus or a platinum Daytona.

 

[fairuz]

A similar happened to me in the US. I was touching my iPhone at a traffic light, as I was trying to figure out my route. The cop was right next to my car, which I didn’t realize. He pulled me over, and I pleaded that I wasn’t texting but rather trying to figure out how to get to my destination.

He gave me a warning and said that the use of any communication device in a car by the driver is illegal, and even if my iPhone were mounted, it would still be illegal. After the incident, I googled this and found out that some cops meet and exceed their ticket quotas by giving tickets to anyone who touched their phones while driving even though only “texting” while driving is explicitly prohibited in my state.

If Ontario bans the use of any hand held communication device while driving, is every car rented out by car rental companies equipped with updates GPS units? I will be in Ontario in 2 weeks, and I need to be able to navigate off my iPhone while driving there.

I live in the US and haven't heard of people being pulled over for dealing with nav at a red light, provided they don't sit for a long time when it turns green. I think it might technically be illegal but something cops use their own judgement for.

Then again, I live in CA. I've heard of other states having cops trying to meet quotas or just being jerks. Around here, they seem fair as long as you don't mistreat them.

 

[Septembersrain]

I think I'd want the whole story. If she was just glancing at the time, that's ridiculous to write a ticket for. However if it was being used to for a more lengthy reason, I get it. Considering she was slow at green...

The other reason why I think it might be more than time is that most cars come equipped with the time somewhere in the dash.