Is it illegal to use headphones while driving?

I love my wife, but a car is a small space and on long road trips she really gets on my nerves because I like to listen to music loudly and she always asks me to turn it down. On top of that she talks quite a lot on the phone and a lot of things she talks about I would greatly prefer not to hear (curtains, celebrities, etc.).

I bought these great isolation headphones by Etymotic recently and I keep sticking them in while driving and she tells me it's illegal to wear headphones while driving, is that true (in Maryland at least)?

emt_me911

If you are driving, YES. If you are not, use headphones all you like.

I believe it's illegal in every state...not to mention it's a really stupid thing to do.

EMT

UCANTCME

In many places, the answer is no. In other places, the answer is yes or maybe (for example, some laws permit wearing headphones, if one ear-cup remains off the ear).

If an accident occurs, the party wearing headphones may have trouble collecting insurance payments.

The only way to know for sure is to check the local laws.

Laws banning the use of headphones while driving or biking assume that headphones will block out important background sounds such as horns and sirens and that such use is unsafe.

melissa b

yes...here in maryland it is illegal to use headphones while driving...check with the maryland state police they will happily issue you a citation if they catch you...how can you hear emergency vehicles?Have you lived in maryland long?there have been several instances of motorists being killed by oncoming firetrucks because they could not hear them...btw...it is also the law here in maryland to have your headlights on if your windshield wipers are on...its a piggyback law like the seat belt law used to be but it is still there

rockbase

in Maryland, The only headset law stops people with learner permits
from using a cell phone...thats it

iLoveLifeãƒ„

You can have ONE earphone in, but anything that goes over both ears is probably illegal.

the brick

not sure if its illegal but it is'nt smart at all...

KAM

YES!!!!!!...CANT HEAR EMERGENCY VEHICLES OR THE TRAIN HORNS..CANT WEAR HEAD PHONES..

ANDY

Hello

I am in the U.K

Here it is legal to use 1 ear headphone as you will still be able to hear sirens etc, get one that covers her side but check with police as this is why some places just say headphones.

Andy C

Wingman1

Anything that distracts you from concentrating on what you should be doing - driving - SHOULD be illegal, whether it is right now or not!! We still see people with cell phones stuck in their ears; worse still sending text messages or having an incessant and animated conversation with somebody else in the car, not taking account of what is going on around them and totally oblivious of other road users.

Prevention is better than cure - to hell with piddly fines, put possible jail sentences on the table and we might finally get people obeying the law and reducing the amount of accidents we see because of these idiotic behaviours!!

Myra

I think it should be okay to drive with headphones since they let totally deaf people drive. They don't feel that them not hearing is a problem? I only really want to wear my bluetooth headphones for cell phone usage. I am not using the headphones to play music. Since it is illegal to drive with a handheld device in this oh so wonderful state. I say I know my limitations. I should be able to use my own discretion.

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