What To Know About Noise Cameras — As NYC Lawmakers Consider Cracking Down On Illegal Mufflers And Exhaust Systems
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Topline
In order to crack down on noisy, illegally modified car mufflers and exhaust systems, New York City lawmakers are expected to pass a new bill soon allowing the installation of noise cameras across the city, which have already proven to be effective in cities around the world.
Key Facts
Noise cameras—also known as acoustic cameras—use microphones to detect loud noises that exceed a certain threshold, and if the microphone picks up a sound from a vehicle exceeding the limit, the camera will take a video of the vehicles.
The bill, dubbed the “Stop Spreading the Noise ”Act, is aimed at targeting illegal mufflers and exhaust systems, and had a year-long pilot program in New York City, where over 70 drivers were ticketed for excess noise.
The cameras are activated when they detect a noise of 85 decibels or more at a distance of 50 feet or more, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection reports.
The penalties range from an $800 fine for first time offenders, up to a $2,625 fine for repeated offenses, according to AP News.
This is the newest effort by New York legislators to subdue illegal car modifications, after a New York state law went into effect in 2022, which raised fines for illegally modified mufflers and exhaust systems from $150 to $1,000.
Big Number
241%. That’s how much the rate of noise complaint calls in New York City increased between October 2019 and October 2022, according to NYC Open Data.
Tangent
Around one in six New Yorkers experience ringing in their ears or hearing loss, and about 20% are frequently disturbed by noise in their homes, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene reports.
Crucial Quote
“We know New York City is the city that never sleeps, but let’s be honest—sometimes we all do need a good night’s sleep,” Democratic New York City councilman Keith Powers and author of the new bill said in a statement. “That’s why I’m proud to introduce the ‘Stop Spreading the Noise’ Act, which will significantly reduce excessive noise across all five boroughs and greatly improve our city’s basic quality of life.”
Key Background
Other cities, both nationally and globally, have established similar noise camera laws. The city of Knoxville, Tennessee, began placing noise cameras on its streets in 2022. Between February 2022 and April 2022, the cameras picked up 486 excessive noise events, and motorcycles and large trucks were the main culprits. The majority of the violations occurred between 7 p.m. and 3 a.m., with spikes on the weekend. Miami Beach, Fla. began installing noise cameras in December, 2022, and Paris installed cameras around the city that same year and started fining drivers 130 euro fines this year. This was part of a 2019 French law that defined noise as a form of pollution, resulting in six other cities across the country—including Nice and Toulouse—installing noise cameras of their own. Noise cameras installed in a London borough were triggered by almost 10,000 vehicles between June 2021 and Feb. 2022.
Chief Critics
Some critics fear the cameras could be used to discriminate against certain groups of people. Noise cameras are “the next red-light cameras,” and may be used to target motorcyclists due to their louder engines and exhaust pipes, Josh Witkowski, legislative coordinator for the motorcyclist advocacy group ABATE of Illinois, told the Chicago Sun-Times. An ordinance allowing the installation of noise cameras in Chicago is under committee review. The cameras in New York City are likely “going to be put in a neighborhood with a lot of Black and brown kids who play loud music,” Erica Walker, an assistant professor of epidemiology at Brown University, told the Guardian. There must be at least five different noise cameras in each borough of New York City, according to the bill, though it doesn’t specify the exact locations.
Tangent
Consistent exposure to loud noises can cause heart problems, hearing loss, high blood pressure, stress, depression, anxiety and other health problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The World Health Organization ruled noise as the second largest environmental factor contributing to health problems in Europe, second to air pollution. Noise cuts the lives of Parisians by 10.7 months, according to a 2018 study by non-profit environmental organization Bruitparif. Though figures on noise-related health costs in the U.S. aren’t available, annual health costs due to hearing loss are estimated to be between $3.3 billion and $12.8 billion, according to a report by the American Public Health Association.
Surprising Fact
The noise mitigation system market is expected to reach over $2 billion by 2032, according to a recent study by Global Market Insight.
Further Reading
Noise cameras would help ticket downtown drivers with loud mufflers under proposed city ordinance (Chicago Sun-Times)
Honk honk! Can noise cameras reduce ‘potentially fatal’ sound pollution? (The Guardian)
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