The vast majority of UK adults (83 per cent) would like to see wearing head-phones while driving made illegal, according to a new research from the UK’s biggest car leasing company, ContractHireAndLeasing. com.

At the moment, there is no direct law that says drivers cannot use headphones behind the wheel, although Rule 148 of the Highway Code does state that drivers should avoid distractions ‘such as loud music’. As such, in the event of a collision, using headphones to listen to music could potentially be taken into account as evidence that you were driving without due care and attention.

While it remains a grey area in the law, it is clear that the majority of us dislike other motorists using headphones.

In a survey of more than 2,000 UK residents, it was the older generations which most appear to find this behaviour unacceptable.

In particular, those aged over 45 felt strongly that headphone use behind the wheel should be outlawed, with 88 per cent saying they ‘strongly agree’ that it should, rising to 91 per cent for the 65 and overs. This contrasts with the youngest age group, perhaps a group among the most likely to be tempted to use headphones, where only 38 per cent ‘strongly agree' with the idea of a ban.

Likewise, the 25-34 age group was the most likely to strongly disagree with a ban, taking a 15 per cent share of their vote, while only four per cent of the 65+ age group said they strongly disagreed with a ban. The rural South West was the region where drivers most supported a ban, with 62 per cent strongly agreeing to a ban compared to Humberside, where just 45 per cent felt the same.

It would appear that the majority of motorists think that using headphones while driving amounts to an unnecessary risk and distraction.

Drivers using headphones to listen to music must also be careful not to hold any music playing device (phone or MP3 player for example) or be seen to take their eyes off the road to select a track.

In these situations, the argument that the behaviour is careless, gets stronger.

With a phone that plays music, there is also the chance you could be fined for using a mobile phone even if you weren’t making a call.

“While not strictly illegal, using headphones is probably even worse than playing loud music in your car,” says the ContractHireAndLeasing. com’s marketing manager, Richard Lawton.

“As well as the music being distracting, the headphones work like earplugs and block out the noises from the road around you – that could be the screech of tyres warning you of a potential collision, or the sirens of an emergency vehicle trying to get past.

“We would like to see the government bring in a clear ban as an unnecessary risk is being taken when drivers plug-in and drive,” he added.