New York Has Found a Unique Way To Catch Loud Cars
Authorities in New York have discovered a new way to catch loud cars—and it's a little bit sneaky.
Written by Alex Healey
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
A noisy engine can often be attributed to a mechanical problem, but some drivers deliberately make their cars loud, by removing the muffler or paying for an aftermarket exhaust.
It’s obnoxious, but as far as
moving violations
go, having an excessively loud car is viewed as a minor infraction, and fines are rarely enforced. This might be about to change in New York City, where a pilot program is using roadside sound meters and cameras to catch noisy offenders.As far as we know, this has never been tried before, and it is unrelated to the recent signing of the
SLEEP Act in New York
, which will increase fines for excessive car noise from $150 to $1,000 per infraction.How is New York catching drivers with loud cars?
As explained by
Road and Track
, a sound meter has been installed at some intersections in New York City. This meter records the decibel levels of each approaching car, and a camera snaps the plate number.If the vehicle is too loud (over 90dB as determined by Section 386 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law), the owner will receive a letter in the mail. That letter will offer a choice: Allow the Department of Environmental Protections to inspect your car—and agree to pay for a fix, or pay a fine of $875.
Is the program permanent?
A spokesperson for the DEP has told Road and Track that this is just a pilot program. It has been running since September of last year, and will be reevaluated on June 30, 2022.
It is unrelated to the SLEEP (Stop Loud and Excessive Exhaust Pollution) Act, which was recently signed into law by New York Governor Kathy Hochul.
The SLEEP Act raises the fines associated with noise violations from $150 to $1,000. It is intended to not only punish excessive vehicular noise, but also reduce instances of street racing, which have increased during the pandemic.
While you might have to cough up some cash if you’re a loud driver, you shouldn’t have to overspend on insurance. For the best deal, try the
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