Rising Ear phone deaths -- The Pioneer –26.2.12

With use of earphones leading an increasing number of people in and around the

Capital to fatal mishaps, the All   India Institute of Medical Sciences’ Trauma Centre decided to undertake a study to look at the trend. The study is expected to give maiden pointers to the causes of such mishaps and ways for them to be avoided.  “At present, there is no study or data conducted on the number of persons killed due t o   p l u g  g e  d - i n   e  a r  p h on e s , despite the fact that such cases are on rise and are reported

everyday. In this regard we are planning to conduct such a study. Everyday more people are getting killed due to such di s t  r a c  t  i ons ,”   t h e   chi e f  of AIIMS Trauma Centre, Dr MC Mishra said.  The study, medical experts opined, would vindicate the perception that people are grossly negligent while walking or crossing the streets. There has been unaccountable number of such cases which have not been  even been reported in media, a senior doctor said. “Wearing an earphone on the move is a dangerous trend and should be avoided at any cost. Also, the constant exposure to

high level of sound creates hearing problems,” head of the ENT department of  safdarjung Hospital, Dr Anil K Rai said.  A normal living room has a sound level of 50 decibels and in traffic, it rises to 80 decibels, he said. “A person using a headphone in public raises the volume to above 80 decibels. Such trends will definitely render a person deaf within a few years of time,” Rai, said adding a survey should be  conducted on the subject in India.   Delhi Police data revealed that 1,377 people died on railway tracks in the year 2011. Since the beginning of this year, around 70 lives have been lost on the tracks in January alone and with the latest mishap,

when three were killed recently, the toll for February alone could climb to around 50.

Several surveys and studies abroad have found that earphones indeed added to  pedestrian deaths at crossroads and railway tracks.  Also asserting the fact that

earphone-related deaths are on the rise, Dr MC Mishra said that people get killed because of not being careful. He said that the use of earphones and mobiles have claimed lives as both cause distractions. “One can’t hear a honk if they have

earphones plugged in. Also, long duration calls on cell phones have a negative impact

on health through its harmful radiations. So both are dangerous at public places, especially crossroads, railway crossings and even driving with hands-free devices,” Mishra said.