A Downside to Loud Music: Are Headphones Risky Business?

In this age of “technological gadgetry,” everything and everyone seems a pushbutton away. We are constantly reminded of the ubiquity of “real time,” when mundane occurrences in the work place are so “15 seconds ago.” Some of these hot devices—such as cell phones, for example—are already perceived as dangerously distracting when they serve as a source for text messages sent from automobiles by inattentive drivers.

There is more to this story. According to a recent review that focused on MP3 players and headphones, it appears that death or injury to users may be a prohibitive risk for these devices as well.

WHAT’S ALL THE NOISE ABOUT?

Researchers reviewed 116 reports of headphone-wearing pedestrians injured by motorized vehicles from 2004 to 2011.^1,2 These 116 incidents had some disturbing characteristics:

•Seventy percent were fatal.

•More than half of the victims were aged 15 through 24 years.

•Fifty-five percent had a run-in with a train, 32% with an automobile.

•Twenty-nine percent of the vehicles sounded a horn that may not have been heard by the music aficionado.

Unfortunately, things are getting worse rather than better. There were 16 such events reported for both 2004 and 2005; for the years 2010 and 2011, the number exploded to 47. The authors of the study admit that the data are dependent on media reports that may only publish more exaggerated episodes. The true risk is not that obvious. That said, the concern—loud noise blocking out a dangerous environment—is plausible and disconcerting.

THE DANGERS OF TUNING OUT

Further review of media reports provided some striking examples. Twenty-three-year-old Isaiah Otieno went out to get his mail and was killed by a helicopter crashing to the ground.³ He was listening to music by headphones with a hood over his head, and witnesses said he seemed completely unaware of the helicopter. My hearing is not the best, but I think I would have heard a falling copter.

The article added some interesting auditory facts. A jet plane in the sky approaches 120 to 130 decibels. An expert observed, if your music drowns that sound out, it is not only dangerous to your hearing, but also dangerous to your life and limb.

A SOUND CONCLUSION

Although the authors explicitly state that the data do not presume or prove cause and effect between headphones, loud music, and trauma, it makes enough sense to warrant reflection and caution. The life saved may be your own or a loved one’s.