Safety officials clarify use of electronic devices for pedestrians on roadways

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Mike Meares
  • Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Public Affairs
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii (AFNS) --  The Air Force Safety Center released a letter of interpretation this year prohibiting the use of listening and entertainment devices, including single ear pieces and external speakers, when on a roadway.

The use of portable headphones, earphones, cellular phones, digital music players or other listening and entertainment devices, other than hearing aids, are prohibited while walking, jogging, running, bicycling, skating or skate boarding on roadways for the sake of ensuring good situational awareness resulting in a lower possibility of a mishap, according to officials.

"Safety needs to be involved in everyone's daily activities, to ensure we are meeting mission requirements," said Tech. Sgt. Scott Yonushonis, of 15th Wing ground safety here. "Without safe and health Airmen, we will not be able to complete our mission."

The AFSEC preserves and enhances combat capability through resource preservation for both Airmen and equipment by attempting to eliminate mishap. The center develops, implements, executes and evaluates Air Force aviation, ground, weapons, space and system mishap prevention and nuclear surety programs and policy. The center oversees mishap investigations, evaluates corrective actions, ensures implementation and maintains the mishap database Air Force-wide. It also conducts research to promote safety awareness and mishap prevention and develops and directs safety and risk management education and media programs.

"It is not possible to prevent all mishaps, so that is why we do (operational risk management)," said Yonushonis. "The Air Force hasn't had a spike in incidents due to electronic devices, but there have been studies done that show you lose your situational awareness when you are using these types of devices."

The intent of the requirement is to prevent pedestrian-vehicle mishaps and applies only to roadways. The roadway is defined by the AFSEC as a strip of land dedicate for the conveyance of vehicles, including the shoulder and median when present, as well as parking lots.

The wearing of portable headphones, earphones, cellular hands-free devices, iPods, or other listening devices while running, jogging, walking, bicycling, skating, or skate boarding in roadways and streets which may impair recognition of emergency signals, alarms, announcements, and the approach of emergency vehicles are prohibited. Pedestrians may, however, wear listening devices on athletic field track, beach areas, sidewalks, and approved jogging or walking trails.

"For some runners, listening to music motivates them and keeps their mind off the distances," said Tech. Sgt. Jennifer Hutcherson, the 647th Force Support Squadron NCO in charge of the Hickam Fitness Center here. "If they are running roadways, their attention to their surroundings is limited.

AFSEC officials said they understand removing earphones while crossing roadways multiple times can be inconvenient and suggest, in this case, to find a more appropriate place to exercise where this hazard is not present.

"The treadmills and the elliptical machines are good options for those who require music when they run," Hutcherson said.