By Baylee Pulliam–
Listen up, earbud users – It might just save your life.
A new case study done by the University of Maryland shows the number of earbud-wearing pedestrians being hit by cars has more than tripled since 2004.
Those pedestrians may not have heard the car coming. Twenty nine percent of drivers reported they sounded their horns prior to impact.
“If you are listening to your mp3 player at a high volume then this would “mask” [or cover up] environmental sounds,” said Dr. Jill Preminger, an associate professor in the University of Louisville audiology program.
The most common victim was under the age of 30 (median age, 21) and in an urban county – in other words, an average U of L student.
Parth Natarajan, a senior accounting major, says he likes to wear headphones while walking to class. “I like music, so it makes [the walk] a little more bearable,” he said.
He’s not the only music lover on campus. But to avoid accidents while listening to their mp3 players, “students need to be aware of their surroundings,” said Lt. Colonel Kenny Brown, assistant chief of police for U of L.
Brown suggests lowering the volume or only using one earbud.
According to the study, cell phones and other visual distractions may also be to blame, causing “distraction and sensory deprivation,” and “inattentional blindness.” It can also cause “environmental isolation,” where the user may become totally unaware of sounds other than the ones coming from their electronics.
Brown said he sees many students walking around campus “with their earbuds in and they’re looking down at their phone, too. They’ve made it so they can’t hear or see what’s going on around them.”
The way he sees it, “they’re asking for trouble.”
As the rate of cell phone and mp3 player ownership increases, the study concluded the role distraction plays in pedestrian-vehicle accidents warrants further discussion.
But for now, Natarajan says he feels fairly safe keeping the volume at a reasonable level and not using his cell phone and mp3 player at the same time.
“I’m careful enough. I’m good,” he said.
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Photo/Flickr: pauldesu.com
