# Driving your car with earbud/headphones on **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 10, 2015, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-your-car-with-earbud-headphones-on/717362 "2015-04-10T19:26:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2015, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-your-car-with-earbud-headphones-on/717362/1 "2015-04-10T19:26:38Z")
Over the last 5 years or so, I have seen this trend growing among the driving traffic. It’s more prominent among younger drivers, but I’ve seen it across all ages. I understand why, you like the tunes or audiobook on your smartphone or MP3 player and you don’t have Bluetooth or an auxiliary jack on your car stereo to run the sound through that system. It still seems riskier or more dangerous, as your ability to hear your surroundings while you are driving would be impaired to some degree while wearing earbuds or headphones. So do you wear them while you drive? Secondarily, what’s your thought on the safety of wearing them? ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2015, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-your-car-with-earbud-headphones-on/717362/2 "2015-04-10T19:34:38Z")
I pop them in sometimes for phone calls/teleconferences. I find that it takes me less concentration to listen to a phone call if I can hear people more clearly, and my earbuds are more clear than piping them over the speakers or using the phone speaker. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2015, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-your-car-with-earbud-headphones-on/717362/3 "2015-04-10T19:36:48Z")
I have for a long drive, but only one earbud and because I didn’t want to turn the radio up too loud and wake up my husband. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2015, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-your-car-with-earbud-headphones-on/717362/4 "2015-04-10T19:42:12Z")
Only on long distance drives where the SO wants to listen to terrible music at the same time as me, but I need music to stay awake. But if you don’t at least have an aux jack, you need a new stereo! Safety concerns are lessened if you only use one ear. ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2015, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-your-car-with-earbud-headphones-on/717362/5 "2015-04-10T20:00:39Z")
I’m not sure how much of a safety issue it is. You can crank up the car stereo loud enough to drown out all road and traffic noise, so I don’t know how it’s any different. Deaf people can get driver’s licenses in all U.S. states, AFAIK. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-your-car-with-earbud-headphones-on/717362/6 "2015-04-10T20:02:54Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > I pop them in sometimes for phone calls/teleconferences. I find that it takes me less concentration to listen to a phone call if I can hear people more clearly, and my earbuds are more clear than piping them over the speakers or using the phone speaker. This. I have [these](http://www.lg.com/us/bluetooth-accessories), which I use for phone calls mainly. I honestly forget I’m wearing them half the time. Doubly stupid because my car syncs with my phone. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2015, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-your-car-with-earbud-headphones-on/717362/7 "2015-04-10T20:04:43Z")
Its not dangerous, I have eyes and good rear view mirrors. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2015, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-your-car-with-earbud-headphones-on/717362/8 "2015-04-10T20:07:13Z")
I only ever use a single Bluetooth earpiece for phone calls. Though I often have the stereo so loud I can’t really hear much else! [A list of the laws regarding this by state…](http://drivinglaws.aaa.com/laws/headsets/) ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2015, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-your-car-with-earbud-headphones-on/717362/9 "2015-04-10T20:11:35Z")
It’s against the law here, so no. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2015, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-your-car-with-earbud-headphones-on/717362/10 "2015-04-10T20:14:19Z")
if you don’t have external input to your sound system then multiple radio converters exist. it plugs in the cig lighter, inputs a headphone cord or flash drive, outputs on a radio frequency that you tune your radio to. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2015, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-your-car-with-earbud-headphones-on/717362/11 "2015-04-10T20:20:06Z")
Not exactly the OP’s question, but earlier this week, I saw a bicyclist riding along a busy city street with headphones on. :eek: When I go riding, even on a trail, I have a strange preference for hearing what’s coming up behind me. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2015, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-your-car-with-earbud-headphones-on/717362/12 "2015-04-10T20:35:36Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > It’s against the law here, so no. US/Canada: [it depends](http://drivinglaws.aaa.com/laws/headsets/). ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2015, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-your-car-with-earbud-headphones-on/717362/13 "2015-04-10T20:40:25Z")
> [@John\_Bredin](#): > > Not exactly the OP’s question, but earlier this week, I saw a bicyclist riding along a busy city street with headphones on. :eek: When I go riding, even on a trail, I have a strange preference for hearing what’s coming up behind me. :smack: If you’re listening at a low volume, you can still hear traffic noise just fine. I usually wear some moderately noise-isolating memory foam earbuds on motorcycle trips which helps keep the wind noise down. Listening to music at (relatively) low volume still lets you hear traffic noise just fine, although I do usually turn it off when I’m in traffic. Now, for a while I had a set of [3M Blockade](http://www.amazon.com/Safety-99014-Blockade-Isolating-Earbuds/dp/B001HVC8QU/ref=pd_sxp_f_pt) earbuds which are basically just an industrial earplug with a speaker in the middle. Those were great for highway trips since they _really_ cut the wind noise down but they definitely felt dangerous in-town. ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2015, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-your-car-with-earbud-headphones-on/717362/14 "2015-04-10T20:55:31Z")
No, apart from a Bluetooth earpiece. I’m surprised to learn this isn’t prohibited everywhere. Related: Even Bluetooth earpieces will be prohibited in France starting this summer : only speaker-and-microphone Bluetooth systems will be allowed. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2015, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-your-car-with-earbud-headphones-on/717362/15 "2015-04-10T21:04:32Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > It’s against the law here, so no. Yeah, but so is exceeding the speed limit, which doesn’t keep people from doing so. I use earbuds to listen to audiobooks and such on long drives when I have passengers. If necessary I’ll use only one ear or keep the volume low enough that I can hear sirens etc., but please don’t ask me to give them up. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2015, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-your-car-with-earbud-headphones-on/717362/16 "2015-04-10T23:43:19Z")
> [@Heracles](#): > > No, apart from a Bluetooth earpiece. I’m surprised to learn this isn’t prohibited everywhere. > > Related: Even Bluetooth earpieces will be prohibited in France starting this summer : only speaker-and-microphone Bluetooth systems will be allowed. Like someone above said, Deaf people drive. What’s the difference? ---
**Author:** ![2gigch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2gigch1/32/3313_2.png) [@2gigch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2gigch1)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-your-car-with-earbud-headphones-on/717362/17 "2015-04-11T00:52:55Z")
I use ear buds as my hands free phone access. The stereo headset makes it easier to hear the other person on these crappy digital phones we are so blessed to have. On rare occasion, when the overall situation is less than stressful (not rush hour, not city, light interstate traffic, etc.) I \*might \*listen to music at a low/moderate level. It’s a matter of responsible behavior, something I am comfortable doing given how much driving I do. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-your-car-with-earbud-headphones-on/717362/18 "2015-04-11T01:30:13Z")
It’s easy for me to obey the law and not do it; I don’t own either. ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-your-car-with-earbud-headphones-on/717362/19 "2015-04-11T01:47:09Z")
On the motorcycle, I would have earbuds for the radar detector. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2015, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-your-car-with-earbud-headphones-on/717362/20 "2015-04-11T02:09:38Z")
I’m surprised to find out this isn’t against the law everywhere. Period. I understand that deaf people can get a license. However, the number of deaf people on the road must be a fraction of a percent; people wearing headphones (earbuds) are blocking their ability to hear a horn, siren, etc, and that, in turn, could cause them to miss a chance to avoid an accident. I wonder… If you are in an accident, and you are wearing earbuds, could the insurance company avoid paying the claim if their position is you could have avoided the accident if you weren’t wearing them? I personally don’t wear earbuds while driving; nor do I text. And I only use a cell phone if I have hands-free capability. If I don’t have hands-free capability and need to make a call, I pull off the road, find a parking lot, put the car in park and make the call. I think I’m one of only three people on the east coast that does this. However, my habits give me the moral high-ground to blow my horn at people who are sitting in front of me at a green light, as they stare down at their phone typing a message or reading an email, oblivious of their surroundings. [Carl Spackler] So I have that going for me, which is nice. [/Carl Spackler] I know, I know… Just call me Safety Sam. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-your-car-with-earbud-headphones-on/717362.md?page=2)