Vehicle operators up and down the country have been urged to bear in mind the potential dangers posed by the use of new smart watches by individuals at the wheel.

The Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) is calling on all drivers to be aware of the risks associated with the use of this technology when a vehicle is in motion, as they will typically require drivers to take at least one hand off the wheel, as well as distracting attention from the road ahead.

As such, the organisation has argued this new technology could have a similar adverse impact on road safety as that of the mobile phone – a device that motorists have been banned from using without hands-free equipment for more than the last decade.

Figures published by the IAM show that between 2006 and 2010, more than 110 fatal accidents on the UK's roads could be attributed to individuals being distracted by mobile phones and the IAM claims this latest technology could see this figure grow in the coming years if action is not now taken.

As a result, the Department for Transport has stated it will issue a £100 fine to any individual found to be distracted at the wheel as a result of the use of smart watches, as per existing Crown Prosecution guidelines. However, it remains to be seen whether or not this will be a sufficient deterrent to their use by drivers.

IAM director of policy and research Neil Greig commented: "An iWatch has the potential to be just as distracting as any other smartphone device. Indeed, more so if you have to take your hand off the wheel and your eyes off the road to interact with it.

"Enforcement will be difficult for the police, but powers exist to seize and interrogate devices in the event of a serious crash. The very device that distracted you also has the power to convict you."