Photo credit: ILOVESwitzerland
by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition
According to this report on Le News, Switzerland is set to introduce stiffer penalties for noisy drivers. Well, actually penalties for drivers of noisy vehicles, including cars and motorcycles. The Swiss public broadcasting channel Radio Télévision Suisse is the source of the information.
The number of road noise complaints has been rising. Among the policies under consideration are extending bans on nighttime noise to the entire day, or a blanket ban on vehicles with modified exhausts. Newly available “acoustic radars” and increased funding for enforcement of noise ordinances are also possibilities.
Motorcycle noise is a particular problem in small alpine towns and additional enforcement efforts may be focused on motorcycles.
We wish federal, state, and local authorities in the U.S. would learn from Switzerland and take action against those who drive noisy vehicles. They could start by enforcing existing noise ordinances.
A quieter world will be a better and healthier world for all.
