Convertibles Could Damage Drivers Hearing

Who doesn't love to ride in a convertible? Going down the road, nothing between you and the sky, feeling the wind in your hair and the sun beat down on your body. However, as with everything there is a price to pay for this enjoyment. According to a study that was recently concluded, those that drive with the top down going at speeds of 55 miles per hour are at an increased risk to have hearing loss. 

 

However, even with the tops up these cars still allowed more noise into them. The cars that were included in the study were the 2009 Saturn Sky Turbo 2.0, 2001 Porsche 911 C4, 2005 GT Mustang Convertible, 2005 Saab Aero Convertible, and a 2004 Nissan 350Z. All of the cars when driven with the top down at around 55 miles per hour produced sound that was around 85 decibels or more, which is the amount of noise that is considered dangerous in most places of work, hence the reason that ear plugs are a mandatory safety precaution. 

 

The best score went to the Saab when driven with the top down since it only produced around 71 decibels of sound. While when driving with the top up, the study found that when compared to regular cars, these convertibles still allow a significant amount of noise to penetrate the interior of the car. Many hypothesize that this is due to the top not being attached as well to the car which does allow for more noise to get through. The worst car for noise with the top up went to the Porsche 911 C4 which produced 77 decibels of sound on the highway. 

 

So what does this mean for those that love to drive with the top down? It means that should consider it a rare treat and should not think about doing it on the highway since this is going to damage their hearing even worse.

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