Major health impact from noisy vehicles

THE EDITOR: Vehicle noise has a major impact on human health. Noise is second only to air pollution in the impact it has on health. It is a major cause not only of hearing loss, but also of heart disease, learning problems in children and sleep disturbance (WHO).

Many letters to the editor would have observed that such noise seemed to have escalated in recent times and neighbourhoods are being bombarded by noise.

Noise is generated across all classes of vehicles and also from houses with uncaring, discourteous inhabitants. Vehicles are being outfitted with modified exhausts and mufflers and, of course, the sound systems with multiple amplifiers and an array of subwoofers.

Many times speaker boxes are packed in the back seat, facing out the windows, as the driver cruises the neighbourhood or parks up by the shops, shaking, rattling and disturbing residents.

Noise occurs at all hours of the day and night. Many mornings from as early as 6 o’clock, the peace is shattered by window-rattling, chair-vibrating, heart-pounding bass.

With the SoE, as drivers rush to beat the curfew, vehicles are racing through residential areas with booming music and thundering mufflers.

There needs to be stronger enforcement and fines, monitoring, more community patrols and reports of noise taken seriously and followed up.

A BEHARRY

Arouca