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Is driving with earbuds in illegal?
I’ve got a 30-minute commute to work each morning, and I’ve recently been enjoying listening to podcasts on my drive into the city. Though I’ve been using my car speakers so far, the audio quality is much better on my headphones, so I’m thinking about switching over. Is it illegal to drive with earbuds in?
Samuel Todd · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
We totally get that—podcasts can be a great way to keep the morning commute productive, and nobody wants to deal with choppy audio quality. In most states, though, it is illegal to drive with earbuds in. Still, there are some exceptions!
Nearly every state takes one of three approaches to wearing earbuds while driving:
- In a few states, earbuds are 100% illegal while driving. States like Maryland, Louisiana, Ohio, and Rhode Island have zero tolerance for earbuds or headphones while driving—a police officer could pull you over if they noticed an earbud in either ear.
- In most states, it’s illegal to drive with earbuds in, but you can have a device in one ear only. Pennsylvania, for example, allows drivers to wear a single-ear communication system. Generally, states want you to be able to hear what’s going on around your car, so they won’t allow you to completely drown out that noise with two earbuds.
- In a few of the more lenient states, it is legal to drive with earbuds in. States like Texas don’t specifically ban earbuds, so you can drive while wearing them. Still, most of these states have laws against distracted driving, so it’s probably best to pop your earbuds out and stick to your car speakers.
At the end of the day, it’s important to check your state’s specific law to know what’s allowed and what isn’t.
If you’re driving through the city each day, you’ll want to make sure your car has great coverage.
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