The majority of road users support banning people wearing headphones whilst cycling, according to an international survey by UK road safety charity IAM RoadSmart.
The E-Survey of Road Users’ Attitudes, conducted over 32 countries, found two-thirds were in favour of banning cyclists wearing headphones. Support was higher in the UK with 68% supporting the proposed ban.
Internationally, female road users were more in favour than males of a ban on headphones or earbuds while cycling, and this was true across all of the continents surveyed: Asia (80%), Europe (69%), Africa (83%) and North America (62%).
The demographic most against any controls on headphones whilst cycling were 18 to 24-year-olds, just four in ten in Europe supported it.
Neil Greig, policy and research director at IAM RoadSmart, said: “It’s clear that the majority of road users are very concerned about distracted cyclists wearing headphones or earbuds while riding. These findings were consistent right across the world in this substantial survey.
“Being plugged in to either headphones or earbuds is the ultimate distraction, as it completely shuts you off to your surroundings, creating a potential road safety risk to yourself, pedestrians and other road users around you. This is even more critical with the popularity and increasing prevalence of noise-cancelling equipment.”
The charity said the survey results, published in October, calls for an urgent discussion on the issue.
Greig added: “There are plans to update the Highway Code being discussed as we speak, so now is a great time to have an informed debate about the best way for cyclists to avoid potentially fatal distractions.”
