It’s hard to imagine the streets without them: headphones, AirPods and the like are everywhere – worn by pedestrians, cyclists and even in cars. But is it actually allowed to drive whilst wearing headphones? Whilst the little device in your ear can give you directions and help you organise your appointments, it can also distract you with text messages or — a much-touted feature — even block out ambient noise via noise-cancelling. What’s allowed, and what’s not? We’ll set the record straight.
- Headphones can be useful when out and about, for example for navigation and voice control. However, they can also be a distraction and pose a danger.
- German law draws the line at the extent of the distraction: anyone who is unable to concentrate whilst driving risks an administrative fine of 10 euros.
- The same applies to using a mobile phone with headphones: it is permitted, provided you remain focused on the road.
- Anyone involved in a road traffic accident whilst wearing headphones must expect to face at least a partial debt to have it attributed to oneself.
Is it allowed to drive whilst wearing headphones?
Many people wonder whether it is permitted to drive whilst wearing headphones. In principle, there is no rule in the Road Traffic Regulations that prohibits wearing headphones whilst driving. But German law wouldn’t be German law if there weren’t a big „but“ here. Headphones may only be used up to a certain level of distraction. This is derived from Section 23 of the StVO, which stipulates that one’s hearing must not be impaired by devices whilst driving.
Anyone who listens to music through their headphones at such a high volume (or blocks out ambient noise) that they can no longer hear sirens, car horns and so on poses a safety risk — and risks being fined 10 euros.
Using headphones to make phone calls whilst driving — is that allowed?
Now, one might argue that using headphones makes it much safer to drive in traffic. Your hands are free, you are less distracted and can therefore concentrate better on driving. And indeed: in principle, making phone calls with headphones — much like using a hands-free kit — is permitted. Ultimately, however, the restrictions set out in Section 23 of the Road Traffic Regulations (StVO) also apply here, according to which drivers may only use such technology as long as they are not distracted from the road.
Accidents caused by wearing headphones whilst driving — what are the rules?
Every electronic gadget in and on the car has the potential to cause distraction. One button too many pressed, one attention-grabbing beep too many, one message spoken into the microphone that you just have to reply to: in the blink of an eye, that moment of distraction can lead to a rear-end collision or something even worse. So what now? If an accident occurs as a result of a distraction, you must expect to be held at least partly responsible — even if you are not solely to blame for the damage.
The situation is similar with car insurance. This often only covers part of the repair costs incurred. To avoid having to pay extra unnecessarily, it’s best to exercise caution — or, better still, avoid wearing headphones whilst driving altogether and make use of the car’s built-in hands-free functions.
Every claim deserves to be settled fairly.
Whether it was your fault or not. Whether you were wearing headphones or not — every claim deserves to be settled fairly. If you’ve been involved in an accident whilst driving and wearing headphones, don’t leave the settlement of your claim to chance. We’ll guide you through the process step by step.
- Please report your claim to us via our Online platform, via smartphone or by telephone on 0800 30 111 60.
- Our partner network will carefully assess your case and provide you with all the relevant information and clear recommendations on how to proceed
- Our staff will get back to you immediately after the inspection with a detailed step-by-step guide.
We will guide you through the claims settlement process and ensure you receive the best possible compensation.
