Bucharest wants to ban noisy cars from the city at night

Urban noise pollution can be a driver behind health issues like insomnia and cardiovascular disease, as well as a cause of decreased productivity

This week, authorities in Bucharest announced that they are planning a project to ban noisy cars in the city at night. As AGERPRESS reports, officials in the Romanian capital are working with traffic authorities to develop effective legislation on the issue, which is supposed to have a far-reaching quality of life and health benefits for the population.

Fines for noisy vehicles

One of the biggest measures to deter drivers with loud cars from driving at night the city plans is to institute a fine system, based on the decibel levels of a vehicle. While an average automobile emits around 70 decibels at around 100 kilometres per hour, according to research from Perdue University, this project would target much noisier machines.

As the project document by the city puts it, the threshold for noise will be set at around 95 decibels (dB), meaning everything below it would be completely exempt from the legislation. Additionally, authorities have said that they plan for the ban to be active only between 10:00 PM and 8:00 AM.

Otherwise, if a car emits between 95 dB and 100 dB, the fine would be between 1,500 and 2,000 lei, or between 300 and 400 euros. If it exceeds 100 dB, the fine would grow to between 4,000 and 5,000 lei, or 800 and 1,000 euros, respectively.

Data on car noise levels would be provided by the Romanian Traffic Police (Poliţia Rutieră) and Car Registry (Registrul Auto Român). The traffic police, on the other hand, would be tasked with enforcing the measures.

The city also points to their rationale behind the measure, citing reasons related to public health as the main driver to push noisy vehicles outside of streets at night. Bucharest authorities point out that excess noise can generate a number of issues for citizens, like disturbed sleep, insomnia, decreased productivity, cardiovascular disease and more. These effects are even more pronounced during the night.