Top Down Means Hearing Loss

Riding in a convertible may put you at risk for hearing damage. A UK study finds the noise level with the top down can be higher than 85 decibels – high enough to potentially cause long-term hearing loss. Researchers at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital say a normal conversation will reach about 60 decibels while a rock concert can hit 115 decibels. They note that riding with the top down from time-to-time is probably not going to have much of an impact but doing so regularly can cause serious problems.