Is It Dangerous to Drive with Noise-Canceling Headphones?
2 Answers
Driving with noise-canceling headphones is dangerous because it prevents you from hearing honking alerts, increasing the likelihood of accidents. Here is some relevant information about wearing headphones while driving: Wearing Headphones: If a driver uses headphones to make or receive phone calls, which hinders safe driving, traffic police may issue an on-the-spot warning or penalty. Additionally, wearing headphones can impair the driver's judgment of the surrounding environment, increasing the risk of accidents. Wearing Hats: The Traffic Law does not prohibit wearing hats while driving, so no points will be deducted for this. However, for safety reasons, it is best not to wear a hat while driving, as any style of hat can obstruct your field of vision to some extent.
As a veteran truck driver with 30 years of experience, I've personally encountered mishaps while driving with noise-canceling headphones. Once, I was delivering goods wearing active noise-canceling headphones and completely missed the siren of an ambulance behind me, nearly blocking the emergency lane. While the headphones effectively block out tire and wind noise on highways, they also filter out crucial sounds like sirens and construction warnings. Especially when driving at night or in poor visibility conditions like rain, your ears become your second pair of eyes. Now, I only dare to use a single-ear headset for calls, keeping the other ear free to catch life-saving sounds like motorcycle engines or pedestrians shouting. After all, safety is far more important than enjoying silence.
