Call (916) 872-9000 to speak with a licensed insurance agent.

Call (916) 872-9000 to speak with a licensed insurance agent.

Driving Safely with Hearing Loss

Posted by Joe DeMeo, July 15, 2019

Vision is certainly the most important of the five senses, with regard to driving, but hearing is vitally important too. While it’s not illegal to drive if you are experiencing hearing loss, it’s not entirely safe unless you take special care. Since about one third of people over 65 suffer from hearing loss (and double that number after age 75) we should all learn these tips, just in case it happens to us.

Reduce noise in the vehicle. Distractions will only make it harder to detect the things you need to hear. Keep the radio turned down or off, roll up your windows, and ask passengers in your car to refrain from speaking in heavy traffic.

No distractions. Don’t talk on the phone while driving, eat, or do anything else that takes your attention off of the road. This is a good rule for everyone to follow, but it’s especially important when additional concentration is needed.

Sync up. If you use a Bluetooth-enabled hearing aid, sync it with your car’s GPS system so that directions are easier to hear.

Shop for a newer vehicle. Newer models might include features that make driving easier and safer for someone with hearing loss. Many cars have alarms or vibrations that alert you to the proximity of other vehicles, for example. Some include built-in voice activated assistance, that can help when you need directions or have certain other questions.

Adjust your mirrors. Switch to a clip-on, wide-angle rearview mirror to get a better view of the road behind you. In some states, this is actually required of drivers with hearing loss. Regularly check your side mirrors to be certain they offer the best view possible.

Go for a vision check-up. Since your hearing is compromised, you’ll be relying upon your vision that much more. Make sure your glasses or contact lens prescription is up to date, and that your eyes are healthy, by visiting your optometrist regularly.

And of course, if you feel unsafe on the road, stop driving. It’s always better to play it safe, than to take a risk and regret it.

Need more information on your insurance options?

Contact us online to learn more

Contact Us

Close Accessibility Tools
Accessibility Controls Reset
Content Adjustments
Font Size

Default

Line Height

Default

Content Scaling

Default

Highlight Titles
Highlight Links
Highlight Forms
Align Left
Align Center
Align Right
Focus Mode
Color Adjustments
Desaturate
Monochrome
Contrast

Default

Saturation

Default

Accessibility Statement

Despite our attempts to make this website accessible for everyone, there may still be some pages or sections that are not completely accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or do not have a suitable technological solution to make them accessible. Nevertheless, we are always striving to enhance our accessibility by adding, updating, improving its options and features, and incorporating new technologies.

We want to provide our users with the best experience possible, so we strive to support as many browsers and assistive technologies as possible.

If you wish to contact this website's owner, please use the contact form on the website.

Our User Interface Adjustment Options

Font adjustments - With this tool, users can modify font size, style, letter spacing, and line height for improved alignment and readability.

Color adjustments - Users can customize their color contrast profiles to light, dark, desaturated, and monochrome.

Content highlighting - Users can prioritize key elements such as links, forms, and titles.

Content focus - Users can enable focus mode to highlight the current page information based on their mouse movement.

Close