Motor Traffic Department to crack down on motorists causing noise pollution
Wary of the ever-increasing traffic and the resulting noise pollution caused by tooting of horns, the Motor Traffic Department is to crack down on motorists tooting vehicle horns causing public nuisance, Motor Traffic Commissioner General S. H. Harischandra said.
Accordingly, drivers cannot sound their horns, exceeding 105 decibels within a five-metre range, and it should not exceed 93 decibels within a 15-metre range, he said adding that the police will take stern action against noise polluters for violating regulations introduced under the National Environment Act and Motor Traffic Act to control noise pollution caused by tooting of vehicle horns.
The department will bring down a stock of decibel meters from Singapore next week to detect noise polluters, Mr. Harischandra revealed.
The sound level meter or the decibel meter is a digital device that can perform measurements 30 to 130 decibels which is widely used by authorities and institutions that need to control the frequency of sound produced in regions of concentration and residential areas.
He said that under the new regulations of the Motor Traffic Act, motorists who cause noise pollution would be slapped six of the 24 penalty points – a score at which a motorist’s driving licence would be suspended for one year.
He noted that these regulations will not be applied to emergency vehicles. Ambulances, trains, fire brigade vehicles, police vehicles, and vehicles used by armed forces are exempted from them.
Meanwhile the department also plans to introduce new regulations to take action on un-roadworthy vehicles, Mr. Harishchandra said adding that at present the provincial councils are issuing certificates of roadworthiness and the vehicle licences.
The department said such motorists are now being asked to repair their vehicles before renewing its licences.
But the new regulations would enable the police to seize un-roadworthy vehicles on the road, he added.
Such vehicles would then be produced in court and prevented from plying the streets until they are repaired.
He disclosed that the fumes emitted by these vehicles pollute the environment and the introduction of strict laws had become essential to tackle this issue.
“We have found a large number of buses, lorries, old cars and vans which are in an un-roadworthy condition.” he said adding that “they somehow manage to pass their vehicles at emission centres by fixing or modifying the engines”.
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