A road safety lobby group is calling for pedestrians crossing the road, cyclists, motorists to be banned from wearing headphones and want warning labels added to product packets.

According to The Electronic Survey of Road User’s Attitudes, nearly 65 per cent of Australians agree and want to see headphones banned for at cyclists. 38.9 per cent support laws banning pedestrians wearing headphones and nearly 60 per cent per cent want to see a total ban on phone use while driving.

Pedestrian Council of Australia Chief Executive Harold Scruby told Oliver Peterson wearing headphones is more than a distraction, it’s “a pandemic.”

“How can you be legally driving a car with noise cancelling on and not know there’s a police vehicle behind you?

“It’s absurd, it’s time the authorities moved into the 21st century and banned them.”

Mr Scruby stopped short of saying headphones should be banned when walking on a footpath but said they shouldn’t be allowed to be worn when crossing a road.

“I think pedestrians have got to be allowed to use them when they’re on a footpath.

“That’s the last area where we can have a bit of exercise but never never never wearing them while crossing the road.”

Listen to the full interview: