Is It Legal To Wear Earbuds And Drive In Minnesota?

If you drive around long enough in the Twin Cities, eventually you'll find someone behind the wheel at a stoplight with their ears plugged with headphones. Perhaps they're listening to music, a podcast, or using them to talk on their phone.

A question that may come up when you see this is, "is that legal?" The answer may surprise you.

Yes, it is legal in Minnesota, as long as there aren't headphones or earbuds in both of the driver's ears. Here's exactly what the law says:

169.471

No person, while operating a motor vehicle, shall wear headphones or earphones that are used in both ears simultaneously for purposes of receiving or listening to broadcasts or reproductions from radios, tape decks, or other sound-producing or transmitting devices.

Exceptions to the law include:

• The use of a hearing aid device if needed by the driver
• The use of a communication headset by a firefighter or ambulance driver

Among its neighbors — Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota and South Dakota — Minnesota is unique for regulating the use of headphones while driving at all. However, it doesn't have the strictest laws in the nation either.

Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Washington have laws that ban any use of headphones or earbuds while driving with few exceptions, according to AAA.

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