{"id":2524,"date":"2024-04-23T17:11:51","date_gmt":"2024-04-23T17:11:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wolflawpllc.com\/?p=2524"},"modified":"2024-04-23T17:11:51","modified_gmt":"2024-04-23T17:11:51","slug":"illegal-drive-headphones-dallas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wolflawpllc.com\/blog\/car-accidents\/illegal-drive-headphones-dallas\/","title":{"rendered":"Is It Illegal To Drive With Headphones In Dallas?"},"content":{"rendered":"

You\u2019ve got a carload of screaming soccer players and a good 30-minute drive. Why not try to find some peace by popping on headphones and listening to something a little more relaxing as you navigate the Metroplex?<\/p>\n

Drivers who are distracted increase their chances of getting in a motor vehicle accident. When drivers try to do things that take attention away from the business of driving, they decrease their awareness of potential hazards and ability to respond quickly if conditions require it.<\/p>\n

Texas law prohibits certain activities deemed too distracting to be done while driving a motor vehicle. Wearing headphones is not one of them. However, that doesn\u2019t mean a driver wearing headphones cannot be cited for distracted driving.<\/p>\n

The Problem of Distracted Driving<\/h2>\n

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA)<\/a>, distraction occurs when a driver diverts attention from the driving task and focuses on some other activity. Distraction-related crashes made up 13% of all police-reported motor vehicle accidents in the United States in the most recent reporting year.<\/p>\n

Of drivers involved in fatal car accidents<\/a>, the age group 15-20 had the highest percentage of distracted driver fatalities. However, the age group 25-34 was almost twice as likely as any other age group to be distracted by the use of a cell phone.<\/p>\n

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)<\/a> reported 7,019 crashes involving distracted driving in Dallas County in the most recent year of reporting, resulting in 31 fatalities. Dallas County had the third-largest number of distracted driving accidents, but those crashes resulted in the second-largest number of fatalities. A total of 484 Texans were killed in distracted driving crashes \u2013 an increase of more than 11%.<\/p>\n

Activities That Can Distract a Driver<\/h2>\n

\"distractionsDespite strong messages about the dangers of distracted driving, many drivers apparently believe driving does not require all their available attention. A lot of times, a wandering mind or concentrated thought about something else can reduce a driver\u2019s awareness considerably.<\/p>\n

Anything that requires a driver to pay attention to something other than what\u2019s happening around the outside of the car has the potential to lead to a crash. Looking out a side window at a landmark or auto accident, looking for a particular station while changing the radio dial, or feeling the need to look at the passengers you are talking to could be treacherously distracting, depending on the circumstances.<\/p>\n

The most distracting activities are those that require some kind of focused attention, like reading or sending a text from a mobile device. These kinds of distractions may cause drivers to completely remove their attention from driving.<\/p>\n

What Texas Law Says About Distractions to Driving<\/h2>\n

The only type of distracting activity that the Transportation Code<\/a> prohibits all Texas drivers from doing while a vehicle is moving is reading, writing, or sending an electronic message from a handheld portable wireless communication device.<\/p>\n

It is not a violation of the law to read, write, or send an electronic message if it can be done hands-free. Furthermore, it is not a violation of the law to drive while using a handheld cell phone to:<\/p>\n