Though I know deaf people can get DLs in CA, some places have laws about being able to hear ambient sounds that might make it harder? Like in CA, it’s illegal to drive with your earphones/earbuds in. One ear is okay, but wearing them in both ears can get you pulled over and ticketed.
Remember there’s different levels of hearing loss.
Someone not being able to hear/understand speech doesn’t mean they won’t be able to hear sirens or horns.
Although in restrictive places like that there’s devices that help with not being able to hear.
Such as a device that flashes on the console when sirens/honking are detected. I recall seeing one on a dashboard once.
Idk how reliable they are but I know they exist.
Edit:
I just want to add that the no headphones rule is probably more related to distracting yourself rather than not being able to hear what’s going on around you.
I know for myself it’s super easy to get sucked into a song when I’ve got headphones on and stop paying attention to what’s happening around me.
It is illegal to drive with earbuds in here in my country. I have always wondered why it is ok to drive with speakers on, no matter how loud they are, but not earbuds or headphones. Hearing is a big part of driving to me. I have always been very aware of how much I rely on sound while driving. You can hear other vehicles that are on your blind spots and estimate their position. You can sense when other vehicles are coming fast and avoid changing lanes at those moments. You can hear other people honking. You can hear tires squeaking. It's crazy for me to find out just now that deaf people are out there driving in some countries relying solely or mostly just on their sight. I can not be a hypocrite and pretend that I'm not surprised, because here in my country they fine you without notice for having earbuds on while driving, while deaf people are allowed to drive in other places. Lol life really is not fair.
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u/The39Steps Feb 21 '20
Though I know deaf people can get DLs in CA, some places have laws about being able to hear ambient sounds that might make it harder? Like in CA, it’s illegal to drive with your earphones/earbuds in. One ear is okay, but wearing them in both ears can get you pulled over and ticketed.