Photo credit: Nazly Ahmed licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
by Arline L. Bronzaft, Ph.D., Board of Directors, GrowNYC, Co-founder, The Quiet Coalition, and Honorary Chair, Quiet American Skies
Lately, more cities and states across the United States are introducing legislation to curb loud sounds that intrude on the lives and well-being of its residents. One would like to think that such actions have resulted from the clamor of residents to reduce noise pollution and the growing literature linking noise pollution to adverse mental and physical health effects.
Thus, I am happy to point readers to this MSN article that says Florida is intent on acting to “lower the decibel level.” Starting in July, Florida’s “loud music law” will prohibit “sound produced by a radio, tape player, or other mechanical sound-making devices or instruments from within the motor vehicle that is ‘plainly audible’ from at least 25 feet away.”
I have noted previously that noise laws have to be enforced to be effective. Needless to say, I was pleased to read that the Bartow, Florida police department is quoted as promising to enforce the noise law. The Bartow police department also plans to educate the public about this law.
Of course, some Florida drivers are unhappy with the new law, claiming they are being deprived of their ability to have fun playing their music loudly while driving down the streets with their open windows. But the article also reports that others see things differently, with one commenter saying loud music might “distract from emergency equipment going by.”
I will keep an eye on this and will report back on whether the police actually enforce Florida’s loud music law.
