Lots of older individuals experience hearing loss, but does that mean it’s unsafe for them to drive? The response isn’t clear-cut, as driving habits vary among individuals.
Even if some adjustments need to be made to the volume of the radio, hearing loss shouldn’t mean a seasoned driver needs to quit driving.
For people who commute frequently the question of whether hearing loss presents a threat while driving is a significant consideration. Is your hearing loss making you a unsafe driver?
Think beyond driving…
Early stage hearing loss probably won’t negatively impact your driving, but if it’s neglected, driving will become increasingly dangerous.
Johns Hopkins Medicine has found there is a distinct link between hearing and brain health. Struggling to hear forces your brain to use valuable resources just to comprehend what people are saying. It has a detrimental effect on cognition and can play a role in the onset of dementia. Driving is definitely out of the question for someone with dementia.
If you have hearing loss, can you still drive?
You can continue to drive with hearing loss, but it should be mentioned that safe driving demands good observational skills including auditory awareness. The Center for Hearing and Communication reports that around 48 million Americans have significant hearing loss, and a good number of them still drive.
Driving with hearing loss
You can still be a safe driver if you make some adjustments and use these tips.
Quit putting off
Come in to see us for a hearing test and find out if hearing aids will help your situation. Hearing aids can help eliminate the “should I be driving with hearing loss” question.
When you drive, be more observant
Even with hearing aids, you will still need to be a more observant driver to ensure you’re not missing anything in or surrounding your vehicle.
Don’t let it get too loud in your car
This will help you be less distracted. Turn the radio off or down and ask your passengers to keep the chatter to a minimum.
Remember to check your dashboard often
It’s the little things that will mount up when you drive with hearing loss. You might not be able to hear that clicking sound that your turn signal makes, for example. You will have to rely on your eyes to pick up the slack, so get in the habit of scanning your dashboard to see what your car is attempting to tell you.
Keep your vehicle well maintained
You might not hear that rattling noise under the hood now or the warning alarm alerting you to a problem with your engine or another critical component. Get your car serviced regularly so you can prevent this major safety risk. That’s a smart idea for most people but a necessity if you are driving with hearing loss.
Pay close attention to other vehicles around you
Obviously, you would do that anyway, but you want to watch for signs you might be missing something. You might not hear emergency sirens, for instance, so if the cars are pulling off to the side, you should too. watch to see how other drivers are responding to their surroundings to get hints on what you might not be hearing.
Can you drive with hearing loss? That’s up to you. Your other senses will typically adjust to help keep you safe, which means it is possible to drive safely even if your hearing has started to go. But if you’re feeling worried about it, schedule an appointment to come see if we can help you improve your situation, possibly by using hearing aids.
Give us a call today to schedule your hearing exam and explore hearing aid options for your distinctive lifestyle.
References
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-hidden-risks-of-hearing-loss
http://chchearing.org/facts-about-hearing-loss
