Open Roads Can Lead to Hearing Loss

Each of us craves the fresh air that is brought to us when we roll down our windows or take off the top from the convertible during a drive through the countryside, with the wind in our hair and the face. There’s nothing more refreshing than a cool breeze on a warm summer day. Unfortunately, that cool breeze may cost you hot bucks in hearing treatments later on in life.

The Better Hearing Institute conducted studies on various types of convertibles travelling at the highway speed limit to explore their effects on developing hearing loss. The results indicate that 80% of the cars lead to exposure to noises of 85 decibels, which is a significantly high level of noise that can damage hearing if constantly exposed to it over extended periods of time.

The results of the study suggest that the risk of the high sound level can be further amplified if external noises were also present in the background, such as other cars, motorcycles, or heavy traffic. The studied noise measurement also did not include sounds that were present inside the car, such as the radio. These external stimuli also add to the 85 decibel, which indicates that the actual damage to the ears may actually be more than the already high level of 85 decibels.

Due to the potential harmful effects of riding in a convertible with the hood down, it is recommended that you refrain from driving with the windows and hood down when travelling at highways speeds on an open road. This practice can hopefully minimize the impact on the sounds during travelling and protect your ears from damage that can lead to hearing loss over a period of time.