Deafness Research UK warns iPods can kill pedestrians

Charity Deafness Research UK is warning consumers about the dangers of crossing the road while listening to iPods and MP3 players, in time for the UK's Road Safety Week later this month.The charity says even listening to music at low volumes can compromise people's hearing enough to put them at risk of not hearing oncoming traffic. The solution? They should whip their earphones or headphones off before crossing the road.”MP3 players and iPods are here to stay but parents need to realise that there is an increased risk of injury or death on the roads when children and teenagers are unable to hear properly because of the loud music,” says chief executive Vivienne Michael.”We're especially concerned about young people who cross roads whilst listening to MP3 players and aren't able to hear what's coming. Good hearing is absolutely vital when crossing the road and can mean the difference between life and death.”