We rely a lot on our senses when we drive. Our vision and hearing help to keep us safe on the road and alert us to oncoming emergency vehicles, pedestrians crossing and other drivers who are trying to get our attention. In many cases, we hear important sounds like police and ambulance sirens before we even see them.
Hearing loss is often hard to detect at first since the process can be gradual. There are also various degrees of hearing loss. It can be mild, moderate, severe or profound. According to Statistics Canada, more than half of Canadians aged 40 to 79 have at least mild hearing loss, but 77 percent of that same group had no perceived loss of hearing.
Hearing loss can affect our ability to react to our surroundings on the road. It’s important to take steps to treat it so that you can continue to drive safely.