Drivers of excessively noisy vehicles will face fines of thousands of dollars thanks to a new device similar to a speed camera.
The device not only captures images of the vehicle and license plate, it also records the decibel level as the vehicle approaches and passes the camera’s vicinity.
The sound meter and camera are activated when a noise of 85 decibels or more is recorded from a distance of 50 feet or more, authorities said.
Open here for more details of the initiative.
The city noise code specifies that cars weighing 10,000 pounds or less cannot make sounds that a person can hear more than 150 feet away. For heavier vehicles and motorcycles the distance is 200 feet.
According to the Department of Environmental Protection, the new technology was installed in an undisclosed sector as part of a pilot program that will soon roll out citywide.
The novel sound meter is part of a ‘silent’ initiative launched in July and is aimed at tackling the deafening traffic of cars and motorcycles amid a growing volume of complaints. Noise exposure can cause hearing loss, exacerbate stress and disrupt sleep, experts say.
Noise complaints, specifically for noisy vehicles, wax and wane seasonally, and have been on the rise since the pandemic began.
The Glendale, Queens neighborhood saw the second-most noisy vehicle complaints by ZIP code, just behind Hell’s Kitchen in Manhattan, since 2018, according to 311 figures.
According to the Department of Environmental Protection, so far 71 notices have been issued to vehicle owners who have violated the Big Apple Noise Code thanks to the new technology.
“Vehicles emitting unpleasant levels of noise in violation of state and city laws have become a top quality-of-life concern for many New Yorkers,” said Commissioner Rit Aggarwala.
“This technology offers real promise in helping us bring some relief to our neighbors,” he added.
Under the new program, the first offense carries a $220 fine, but repeat offenders bear the brunt. Repeated noncompliance carries a fine of up to $2,625.
Although the Department of Environmental Protection warned that the penalties could increase in March under the new state law that establishes more severe fines, it will be during the spring when the issuance of infractions intensifies.
Although the state implemented the SLEEP Actwhich increases fines from $150 to $1,000 for any illegal modifications to mufflers and exhaust systems that allow cars and motorcycles to become noisier, noise complaints appear to continue to rise.
That law applies not only to vehicle owners looking for the modifications, but also to the repair shops that make them or sell the corresponding parts. Shops can lose their operating license or certificate to inspect vehicles if they are caught three times in 18 months.
In 2021, New Yorkers filed the most complaints about engine idling since 2018: 13,489 complaints. Police issued 75 citations in response to the complaints, the data shows.
Specifically, police issued 14 citations for excessive vehicle noise, the most between 2018 and the present, a period in which police issued a total of 26 citations for excessive vehicle noise.
The pilot program is planned to continue until June 30, 2022, when it will be re-evaluated by the agency.
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