Traffic Noise Pollution: It’s Not All About Fumes

Noise pollution is defined as a level of unwanted noise that can have adverse effects on human beings and other living organisms. Noise pollution has reached an all-time high in this day and age and the issue is only growing. This can be put down to a variety of factors, including growth in the industrial sector, massive urbanization, and the ever-growing number of drivers on the road. 

Noise pollution is more than just an annoyance, having plenty of tangible effects on the health of humans and animals alike. Some of the conditions that noise pollution has been shown to contribute to include: 

• High blood pressure

• Nausea 

• Sleeplessness

• Dizziness 

• Headaches 

• Depression 

• Heart attacks 

• Induced hearing loss

With all of these conditions posing a risk to us due to noise pollution, it’s a wonder that around 74 million Americans are routinely exposed to noise comparable to working in an office job. And, around 30 million are regularly exposed to what are considered dangerous levels according to the ASHA. 

Exposure to the kinds of noise associated with cars can cause our bodies to become filled with stress hormones, which in turn can lead to the conditions listed above and more. Research has even suggested that those living in high-density areas such as Paris might be losing up to “three healthy life years” due to the noise pollution primarily caused by cars.

So with all that we know about the dangers of car noise levels, what are our governments doing about it? Sadly, the answer is broadly nothing. In the United States, the EPA, based on The Noise Control Act of 1972, has the right and authority to advise states on proper noise control measures for roads and highways. However, the responsibility to employ this advice falls squarely on state governments, and in most cases, nothing has been done. 

There are basically no consequences from the federal government to states and cities that do nothing to stem the effects of noise pollution, with sanctions bypassed in favor of “guidelines”. 

In Canada, different provinces have different laws and regulations that cover noise pollution. However, some provinces have no legislation referring to noise pollution.

Electric vehicles and physical barriers of sound have been suggested as a method to reduce the impact of traffic noise pollution. Another obvious way to reduce traffic-based noise pollution would be to reduce the number of cars on the road. But, absent a major shift towards public transport and bikes, this seems a distant fairy tale.