Think Twice Before Wearing Your Headphones Outside - Here's Why

Whether you're exploring an urban environment on foot or getting out into nature on a hike, you might naturally bring your headphones or earbuds along when walking outside. Listening to music or a podcast can only add to your enjoyment, right? While that might seem to be the case, research actually shows that wearing headphones while walking outside can be dangerous for a variety of reasons. Examples include increasing your risk of being harmed in a pedestrian accident, leaving you vulnerable to hazards during a nature walk, and even potentially harming your hearing over the long run.

That's not to suggest you should never break out your headphones. If you're an audiophile, the right pair of headphones can significantly elevate your listening experience. However, when you're outside, headphones and earbuds can prevent you from being fully aware of your surroundings. This could increase your risk of being hurt or missing critical safety information.

The specific risks associated with using headphones while outside can vary depending on the circumstances. For example, forest rangers may use PA systems and similar audio-based tools to relay safety information to hikers. Anyone hiking with earbuds or headphones may not hear these alerts. Similarly, they might not hear rattlesnakes and other warning signs of nearby hazards. Solo hikers wearing headphones also might not hear other hikers calling for help, which can be critical in an emergency.

Walking with headphones can still be unsafe even when you're not in nature. An overview of pedestrian injury statistics in the academic journal Injury Prevention found that wearing headphones may put pedestrians at greater risk of being harmed in crashes. Specifically, researchers found that in about 29% of accidents they studied involving pedestrians wearing headphones, some sort of warning had been sounded before the collision occurred. Headphones may have prevented victims from noticing these warnings.

It's worth noting that you might be tempted to pump up the volume on your headphones or earbuds when outside. In an outdoor environment, other sources of noise could be competing with whatever you're trying to listen to. This may naturally cause you to listen at a higher volume than you would if you were indoors.

Be aware that listening at such a high volume can damage your hearing over time. According to the American Osteopathic Association, it's best not to listen to headphones at more than 60% of the maximum volume a device can reach. Prolonged exposure to high volumes from headphones or earbuds could lead to hearing loss.

Again, that doesn't mean headphones and earbuds don't have their place. For example, audiophile-approved gaming headphones can make your favorite video game even more immersive. You also don't necessarily have to spend a lot of money to get a pair of headphones that delivers quality. Just be sure not to let a top-notch audio experience prevent you from noticing your surroundings outside.