Via KJZZ’s Q&AZ reporting challenge, a listener requested: Is it authorized to put on headphones whereas driving in Arizona?
The reply is sure — for probably the most half. There isn’t any state regulation explicitly saying you’ll be able to’t. However based on Sgt. Eric Andrews from the Arizona Division of Public Security, drivers nonetheless want to concentrate to the highway.
“If in case you have your headphones blasting, and also you’re driving down the highway, chances are you’ll not hear sirens arising behind you from an emergency automobile,” Andrews mentioned. “So in the event you fail to yield to an emergency automobile per ARS 28775, that might be a violation.”
DPS additionally says that cities and counties can impose ordinances stopping drivers from sporting headphones. However statewide, solely college bus drivers are prohibited from sporting them.
Though it is authorized, driving with headphones is just not advisable.
“Headphones are designed to sort of shut out the remainder of the world with the intention to hear no matter you are listening to by way of these headphones,” Andrews mentioned. “So clearly sporting them makes it so that you just lose out on all that affect from outdoors.”