Is It Illegal To Drive With Headphones? State-by-State Guide

It is illegal to drive with headphones in some or all situations in 18 states and the District of Columbia. Although most states do not have laws prohibiting the use of earphones, earbuds or hands-free Bluetooth devices while driving, you could incur fines, license points and other legal penalties if you are caught driving with headphones on in the states that do have such laws.

Keep reading to learn more about driving with headphones or earbuds, including what exceptions apply to state laws and how headphone use and related types of distracted driving can put you at risk of getting into a car accident.

On This Page

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  Where Is It Illegal To Drive With Headphones?

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  When Is It Legal To Drive With Headphones?

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  Are There Penalties for Driving With Headphones On?

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  Is It Dangerous To Drive With Headphones?

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  What Happens if You’re in an Accident While Wearing Headphones?

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  Alternatives to Driving With Headphones

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  FAQs

Where Is It Illegal To Drive With Headphones?

Restrictions on driving with headphones apply in Washington, D.C., and the following 18 states:^[1][2][3]

Some states enforce broad bans on wearing headphones behind the wheel, while others only prohibit headphone use in specific circumstances. For example, it’s always illegal to drive with headphones in both ears in Alaska, California, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Virginia and Washington. Conversely, Arizona’s headphone prohibition only applies to school bus drivers and others who transport children for licensed child care facilities.^[1]

When Is It Legal To Drive With Headphones?

If you live outside of the District of Columbia or the states mentioned above, it is generally legal to drive with headphones in your ears. Even some of the states mentioned previously allow for certain exceptions to their headphone restrictions. See the following table for examples of when you may be exempt from your state’s requirements on headphone use while driving.

Is It Legal To Drive With One Headphone In?

Some states only explicitly ban driving with headphones in both ears, meaning you may be allowed to drive with a headphone in just one ear. For example, drivers in New York and Ohio are free to drive with only one headphone, while drivers in Colorado, Florida, Georgia and Pennsylvania may do so if they are using it to take a hands-free phone call.^[1]

For specific guidance on the full implications of driving with headphones in your state, consider consulting an attorney who specializes in motor vehicle law.

Are There Penalties for Driving With Headphones On?

If you live in a state where headphones are not allowed while driving, you may receive a ticket for violating the law, leading to financial penalties and potentially other legal consequences. In the next table, you can see examples of penalties enforced by various states that restrict headphone use for drivers.

Is It Dangerous To Drive With Headphones?

It can be dangerous to drive with headphones — especially if you are listening to music, a podcast or some other consistent noise — because you may not be able to hear the sound of traffic or pedestrians. This can reduce your reaction time or even make you oblivious to road hazards, putting you at risk of causing a car accident that could result in serious injuries or fatalities.

For example, headphones could prevent you from hearing an oncoming ambulance, meaning you could fail to move out of its way, endangering yourself and the people in the ambulance. Similarly, you could fail to hear the sirens from a police car that is trying to pull you over, potentially turning a simple traffic stop into an inadvertent police chase.

When you drive with headphones, you may also miss other important audio cues that can signal to you that you need to slow down or swerve out of the way, such as construction noises, vehicle horns and the voices of children or other people nearby. Due to the risks associated with covering your ears while driving, it’s generally recommended that you avoid doing so unless your job requires it — even if it’s legal in your state.

What Happens if You’re in an Accident While Wearing Headphones?

Regardless of whether your state prohibits headphone use for drivers, you may be held at least partially liable for a car accident if it is determined that the fact that you had headphones on contributed to the collision — even if the other driver is primarily responsible. Depending on how your state applies the comparative negligence doctrine, this could limit your ability to collect damages from the at-fault driver.

Many states only allow you to collect damages based on the degree to which the other driver is at fault.^[9]

For example, suppose a speeding driver crashes into you and totals your $20,000 vehicle, but you are determined to be 20% responsible for the crash because you had headphones in and didn’t hear them honk their horn. In this case, you may only be able to sue the other driver for up to $16,000 in certain states.

Some states have even stricter comparative negligence rules. For example, if you are found to be just 1% responsible for a collision, you cannot collect any damages from the other driver in Alabama, Maryland, North Carolina or Virginia. In most other states, you can’t sue for damages if you bear the majority of the responsibility for the crash.^[9]

Alternatives to Driving With Headphones

Instead of keeping headphones in your ears, consider connecting your phone to your car’s stereo before you start driving so you can listen to music playlists, podcasts, audiobooks and more directly through your vehicle’s infotainment system. Be sure to set your volume at a moderate level so you can still hear surrounding traffic sounds and avoid dangerous driving.

Many cars also allow you to connect cell phone calls to the audio system via Bluetooth, and you may even be able to answer calls using buttons on your steering wheel, allowing for a completely hands-free experience. However, to minimize your risk of getting into a distracted driving accident, it may be wise to set your phone to “do not disturb” before hitting the road if possible.