Editing How to Be Street Smart with Headphones (section)

== Safety Considerations ==

=== Awareness of Surroundings ===

When wearing headphones in public, it's crucial to maintain awareness of your environment:

- Keep the volume at a moderate level so you can still hear important sounds around you3<ref name="ref5">5</ref>.
- Consider using only one earbud, leaving your other ear free to hear traffic and other potential hazards[9].
- If using both earbuds, periodically pause your audio to check your surroundings[5].
- Avoid noise-cancelling features in potentially dangerous situations[5].

=== Visibility and Attention ===

Wearing headphones can make you appear distracted and vulnerable:

- Maintain confident body language and posture while walking[6].
- Avoid staring at your phone screen while moving4<ref name="ref6">6</ref>.
- Be extra vigilant in unfamiliar or high-crime areas[7].
- Consider bone-conduction headphones that don't block your ears[9].