Approximately 22% of adults ages 65-74 and 55% of those over 75 have disabling hearing loss. When you’re diagnosed with hearing loss, it’s natural to worry about how it will affect your daily life. One common concern is how the condition will affect the safety of your driving.
How Does Hearing Loss Affect Driving?
Your vision is crucial for driving, but your hearing plays a vital role, too. It alerts you to honking horns, passing cars, warning shouts and sirens. Although driving with hearing loss might require adjustments, you can drive safely and confidently with a few helpful tips and precautions.
Tricks for Safe Driving
A few essential tricks for safe driving include:
- Turn down the radio. People with hearing loss often struggle to hear specific sounds among background noise. Turning down the radio lets you focus more easily on the critical safety information you need to hear.
- Close the window. Taking a scenic drive around Cherokee Park with the windows rolled down is a great way to spend an afternoon, but the noise from the wind can prove distracting. Rolling your windows halfway or all the way up can help reduce noise distraction and allow you to focus on safe driving.
- Put your phone away. Using your phone while driving is not only dangerous and illegal but also an unnecessary distraction that can put you at risk. Consider placing your phone in the glove compartment to stay focused and ensure a safer journey.
- Pay extra attention to visual signs. When your hearing can’t provide all the information, you need to rely a little more on your eyes. Pay extra attention to flashing siren lights, turn signals and swerving cars to keep you and your passengers safe.
- Wear hearing aids. Hearing aids amplify essential safety noises to help you hear important sounds like car horns, emergency sirens or other vehicles approaching. By improving your auditory awareness, these devices can significantly reduce the risk of accidents and improve your overall driving experience.
Hearing loss doesn’t need to stop you from enjoying your time on the open road. By taking a few safety precautions and relying on your hearing aids, you can reach your destination safely. Contact Heuser Hearing Institute today to schedule an appointment with one of our specialists.