# Do you wear headphones or earbuds while driving? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 20, 2024, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wear-headphones-or-earbuds-while-driving/1001791 "2024-05-20T03:14:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wear-headphones-or-earbuds-while-driving/1001791/1 "2024-05-20T03:14:24Z")
So, the SIGO and I had a conversation today about wearing headphones/earbuds/etc. while _you_ were driving a car. These are basically devices that do _not_ amplify hearing of ambient noise (e.g. hearing aids), but do allow you to hear your phone, block ourt road noise, use your CB radio, etc. and _do_ add a layer of seperation between you and ambient noise. So, do you wear headphones/earbuds while you’re driving (you’re operating the vehicle)? _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wear-headphones-or-earbuds-while-driving/1001791/1))_ Tripler My position after I vote. . . ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wear-headphones-or-earbuds-while-driving/1001791/2 "2024-05-20T03:16:58Z")
Even if it is legal why would someone do this? It is dangerous since you are less able to hear things that might be important to operating the car safely. What’s wrong with the stereo in the car? These days you can connect your phone, get satellite service and so on. It’s common. ETA: It is illegal in Illinois where I live. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wear-headphones-or-earbuds-while-driving/1001791/3 "2024-05-20T03:21:06Z")
_[Note] The poll got set up wrong accidentally–I just wanted one vote._ Anyway, SIGO and I were talking about a long drive coming up, and using my earbuds to listen to podcasts on the 2+ hour drive. I told her that I don’t like to do that, as it eliminates me hearing sounds and reducing situational awareness while I drive; I can’t hear sirens or horns as easily, and it could be a distraction. I plan on buying a portable cigarette-lighter-powered BlueTooth-to-radio plug to let me stream podcasts through the ol’ car’s radio (it’s a 2002 car). This got me thinking–who _is_ using earbuds or clamshells on the road? Is it legal where you are? I learned (30 years ago) that it was illegal in my home state, but now with the proliferation of cellphones and hands-free tech, it’s kind of ubiquitous. Tripler What do _you_ do? ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wear-headphones-or-earbuds-while-driving/1001791/4 "2024-05-20T03:22:48Z")
You ninja’d me. . . but my one car is pre-BT. Tripler I’m on your side, though. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wear-headphones-or-earbuds-while-driving/1001791/5 "2024-05-20T03:25:08Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > What do _you_ do? I drive my deceased mother-in-law’s 2006 Camry, complete with cassette deck, resentfully. It has no Bluetooth. But years ago we bought a portable Bluetooth speaker, and now it lives in my car, so I can listen to podcasts while I drive. ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wear-headphones-or-earbuds-while-driving/1001791/6 "2024-05-20T03:30:21Z")
No, because I feel like they make me less aware of my surroundings. My car stereo went out a few weeks ago, though\*, so I did think about it. It was right before the eclipse (totality would normally have been about a 1.5 hour drive away, but traffic was bananas, so it was like 4 hours away) and there was no way I was going to make that drive in silence. So I do have a little bluetooth speaker hooked up to play music/podcasts/audiobooks. Obviously, the sound quality is not great. But it works for now. Earbuds would sound better, but be too distracting. \*a fuse, probably. I don’t have the spare money right now for kind-of-a-luxury car repairs, but I do have to get a definitely-a-necessity car repair now and it looks like the fuse might not be actually that expensive or difficult to replace, so I might see if they can do both or if I can figure out how to do it on my own. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wear-headphones-or-earbuds-while-driving/1001791/7 "2024-05-20T03:36:17Z")
In Illinois, where I live, it’s [illegal to wear a headset which occupies both ears while driving](https://www.curcio-law.com/blog/is-it-illegal-to-drive-with-headphones/) (a single-ear headset is legal). > [@SurrenderDorothy](#): > > My car stereo went out a few weeks ago, though\*, so I did think about it. It was right before the eclipse (totality would normally have been about a 1.5 hour drive away, but traffic was bananas, so it was like 4 hours away) and there was no way I was going to make that drive in silence. So I do have a little bluetooth speaker hooked up to play music/podcasts/audiobooks. Obviously, the sound quality is not great. But it works for now. Earbuds would sound better, but be too distracting. I’m in the same situation; the stereo in my car died back in January. It’s happened once before, and it required the unit itself to be replaced (which won’t be cheap). So, for now, I’ve been using my smartphone’s integrated speaker on short trips, and a portable Bluetooth speaker on longer trips. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wear-headphones-or-earbuds-while-driving/1001791/8 "2024-05-20T03:36:28Z")
That sounds like a terrible thing to do and I don’t know why anyone would even _want_ to do that. And wtf is a SIGO? ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wear-headphones-or-earbuds-while-driving/1001791/9 "2024-05-20T03:36:45Z")
It’s illegal here but I’ve never had reason to do it anyway. In the era before connecting your phone to the car was a common option, holding your phone was usually still legal and you had speakerphone. For playing audio from the phone or other device, I had a 3.5mm jack in the car. Prior to that was a CD full of mp3 files or something. I’ve never had a period where wearing headphones would have made sense (and wouldn’t have done it anyway) ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wear-headphones-or-earbuds-while-driving/1001791/10 "2024-05-20T03:38:35Z")
Car fuses are very cheap (maybe $5-6). Very easy to replace too. Take the bad one into a car parts store and they will make sure you get the proper replacement. Changing fuses is easy. Unplug and plug back in. The hard part is reading the legend to know which fuse it is (that, or you pull one out at a time to see if it is broken…putting the good ones back in…a bit of a fuss but even that would only take a few minutes for a car). ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wear-headphones-or-earbuds-while-driving/1001791/11 "2024-05-20T03:38:36Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > And wtf is a SIGO? **Si** gnificant **Ot** her, I imagine. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wear-headphones-or-earbuds-while-driving/1001791/12 "2024-05-20T03:43:55Z")
Exactly. _SIG_nificant _O_ther. I will note that on a return trip home along I-40 this week, I counted on two hand the number of truckers that seemed to be wearing clamshell headsets. This kind of brought the question up in our discussion . . . Tripler There were easily 50 or 60 trucks I passed within a 5 hour drive. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wear-headphones-or-earbuds-while-driving/1001791/13 "2024-05-20T03:48:14Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > I will note that on a return trip home along I-40 this week, I counted on two hand the number of truckers that seemed to be wearing clamshell headsets. The article I quoted above (about the Illinois law) also states this: > [@](#): > > Most states in the U.S. do not have laws that prohibit drivers from wearing headphones while driving. And, it looks like most of the states that do prohibit it are in the northern half of the U.S., while I-40 runs through the southern portion of the country. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wear-headphones-or-earbuds-while-driving/1001791/14 "2024-05-20T03:58:26Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > Exactly. _SIG_nificant _O_ther. Usually abbreviated “SO”, FYI. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wear-headphones-or-earbuds-while-driving/1001791/15 "2024-05-20T04:00:21Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Usually abbreviated “SO”, FYI. To be fair, I’ve heard “SIGO” (pronounced SIG-oh) in the past, though not recently. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wear-headphones-or-earbuds-while-driving/1001791/16 "2024-05-20T04:01:39Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > The hard part is reading the legend to know which fuse it is (that, or you pull one out at a time to see if it is broken…putting the good ones back in…a bit of a fuss but even that would only take a few minutes for a car). There’s no way I would do that in my car. I’d be afraid I’d have to reset something after yanking fuses will-nilly. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wear-headphones-or-earbuds-while-driving/1001791/17 "2024-05-20T04:03:39Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > To be fair, I’ve heard “SIGO” (pronounced SIG-oh) in the past, though not recently Not only have I not heard it, Googling returned nothing. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wear-headphones-or-earbuds-while-driving/1001791/18 "2024-05-20T04:05:39Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Not only have I not heard it, Googling returned nothing I tried googling “siggo,” and got this. (I only thought to try that, realizing that I’d only ever _heard_ the term, not ever seen it in writing.) > [@](#): > > # siggo > > [**sig** -oh] > > Phonetic (Standard)IPA > > ## noun > > , _Informal._ > > , _plural **sig·gos.** _ > > 1. [significant other ( def 2 )](https://www.dictionary.com/browse/significant-other). > **[Dictionary.com | Meanings & Definitions of English Words](https://www.dictionary.com/browse/siggo)** > > The world's leading online dictionary: English definitions, synonyms, word origins, example sentences, word games, and more. A trusted authority for 25+ years! ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wear-headphones-or-earbuds-while-driving/1001791/19 "2024-05-20T04:07:31Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I tried googling “siggo,” and got this. Silly me, I tried Googling what the OP actually wrote. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![echoreply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/echoreply/32/3641_2.png) [@echoreply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/echoreply)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wear-headphones-or-earbuds-while-driving/1001791/20 "2024-05-20T04:08:14Z")
> [@Tripler](#): > > portable cigarette-lighter-powered BlueTooth-to-radio plug Unasked advice: I used one of those in my 2000 vehicle, and it was great in the vast stretches between cities, but in any sort of urban area there was too much interference from local radio stations for it to work. The one I have can do multiple channels, but all of them were taken. If you have any way to do a wired connection, such as a tape adapter, aux plug, or even a cassette Bluetooth receiver I would strongly recommend it over the radio thing. To the OP: Does a motorcycle count? I believe headphones are illegal in Colorado, but because the speakers are attached to the helmet it counts the same as like a car stereo, and is legal. I use that, along with ear plugs, on the motorcycle. Before in-car Bluetooth I used to use a hand free single ear thing if I had to talk on the phone in the car. That was legal. My current earbuds (Sony WF-1000XM5) have an ambient sound mode that passes through and amplifies sound. Sort of a cheap hearing aid type setting. Wearing those while driving would be illegal, but I don’t think it would be unsafe in ambient sound mode (assuming reasonable volume). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-wear-headphones-or-earbuds-while-driving/1001791.md?page=2)