Photo credit: Michael Burns licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
by Jan L. Mayes, MSc, Audiologist
Police in Ottawa, the capital city of Canada, are targeting loud vehicles with Project NoiseMaker. The project was launched in 2020 to crack down on excessive vehicle noise from illegally modified exhaust and emission systems or mufflers. Fines range up to $365 Canadian dollars (Cdn).
The project also targets stunt drivers caught going over 30 mph above the posted speed limits on city streets which is too fast and too loud. This is surprisingly common with an average 10 stunt drivers caught weekly and over 2300 tickets issued in only the first year of the program. Fines start at $2000 Cdn and drivers may have their licenses suspended or cars impounded.
With lack of traffic from the COVID-19 pandemic, noisy vehicles stand out more than ever before. If only more cities had a Project NoiseMaker to protect public health from drivers who intentionally cause loud vehicle noise.
Jan L. Mayes is an international Eric Hoffer Award winning author in Non-Fiction Health. She is also a science enthusiast and newly retired audiologist still specializing in noise, tinnitus-hyperacusis, and hearing health. You can read more of Jan’s work at her site, www.janlmayes.com.
