Listening to portable music players in the car can be distracting and dangerous, according to a report.
Some younger drivers are risking serious accidents by listening to iPods or MP3 players through their headphones while driving, research by one of Australia's leading insurers has revealed. NRMA Insurance says its research shows that one in five drivers under the age of 30 admit to wearing headphones while they are driving.
Police say that the practice, while not illegal, is dangerous and could result in prosecution if it were deemed to be the cause of an accident.
The NSW head of police traffic command, Chief Superintendent John Hartley, said wearing headphones while driving was "not illegal, but not advisable''.
"If you're deemed to be not in proper control of your vehicle or not aware of your environment while you're driving, you could be done for negligent driving if you cause an accident,'' he said.
NRMA Insurance spokesman John Hallal said listening to MP3 players through headphones had the potential to be as distracting as using a hand-held mobile phone.
"It does beg the question why one is illegal and the other is not,'' he said.
"Drivers should always be alert to what is happening around them and by using headphones the driver is likely to be less aware of the surrounding traffic conditions.
"The issue with headphones is that they can totally block out other sounds. You won't hear a siren and you won't hear a horn and that can be dangerous,'' he said.
He said MP3 players presented problems even if headphones weren't used, because drivers could be distracted by scrolling through playlists while they were driving.
"If you have an MP3, there's always the temptation to look down and change songs,'' he said.
Close to half the under-30s interviewed said they used MP3 players while they were driving.
Hallal said MP3 players were more distracting than a normal car stereo.
"iPods and MP3 players are different to simply listening to the radio or a CD. With a stereo you know where the controls are. If you've got an iPod in the centre console and it slips off the temptation is to go looking for it and it only takes a split second with your eyes off the road for something to happen.''
Mr Hallal said drivers could minimise their risk of having a crash by sorting out their playlists before they began driving.
"We're not calling for people to stop using their MP3 players. We just believe they should use common sense and sort out their music before they start driving. And under no circumstances should headphones be used.''
Car companies are increasingly offering MP3 auxiliary jacks in their cars, while others have more integrated systems that allow iPod or MP3 playlists to be displayed on a screen on the car's dash and operated through buttons mounted on the steering wheel.
Hyundai's marketing manager, Oliver Mann, said integrated systems were safer than auxiliary jacks because they allowed drivers to maintain eye contact with the road ahead.
"They are much better than fumbling around for your iPod. The screens on most MP3 players also have much smaller displays than the normal screen you have on the centre console. The other advantage of having the display on the dash is that it is in your line of sight,'' he said
He said in-car entertainment need not be distracting if it was "intelligently integrated'' into existing systems in the car.
NRMA Insurance found that MP3 player use dropped off markedly with age.
Only 15 per cent of those aged 30 to 39 use the technology, with the figure dropping to 8 per cent for drivers aged over 40.
Toyota spokesman Mike Breen said the company had no evidence to suggest that MP3 players, if used correctly, were more distracting than a standard car radio.
But he said any type of in-car entertainment, communication or navigation device could be potentially distracting.
"When you're in a car you have a responsibility to keep your mind on the task at hand,'' he said.
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