Grace McAlister
Reporter1@riverbendnews.org
Some traffic noise is unavoidable: the startlingly loud exhalations of diesel engine brakes and garbage trucks or the siren of an ambulance. However some of it is decidedly not. Many car enthusiasts decide to modify their car’s exhaust system; Live Oak enthusiast Maddox Baker states that “the louder the sound, the greater the thrill. I know my truck is standing out. The engine noise also gives me something to play with and feel sporty even when just driving through town.” While the sound may be exciting to some, there are laws governing the amount of noise a vehicle can produce. The following outlines relevant laws and legislation pertaining to car exhaust noise laws in Florida.
Florida law “prohibits vehicles from producing excessive or unusual noise and requires that vehicles’ exhaust systems be equipped with mufflers, manifold pipes and tailpiping at all times while in operation,” Florida Car Laws’ website states. Motor vehicles manufactured after Jan. 1, 1979, may produce up to 72 decibels when the speed limit is under 35 mph or 79 decibels when the speed limit is over 35 mph. Most vehicles fall into this category.
Florida Statute 316.293 (2) - OPERATING NOISE LIMITS - states: “No person shall operate or be permitted to operate a vehicle at any time or under any condition of roadway grade, load, acceleration or deceleration in such a manner as to generate a sound level in excess of the following limit for the category of motor vehicle and applicable speed limit at a distance of 50 feet from the center of the lane of travel under measurement procedures...”
The Florida statutes then go on to restrict the use of any non-original equipment which can increase noise limits on cars or other vehicles. Florida Statute 316.293 (5)(a) outlines:
“No person shall modify the exhaust system of a motor vehicle or any other noise-abatement device of a motor vehicle operated or to be operated upon the highways of this state in such a manner that the noise emitted by the motor vehicle is above that emitted by the vehicle as originally manufactured.”
This makes it illegal to use any aftermarket modifications louder than the ones the vehicle is manufactured with. All devices producing excessive exhaust noise are not legal. Exceptions are provided for emergency vehicles, vehicles used in races or similar events, agricultural equipment and test vehicles.
“To the drivers of these vehicles, this is a fun prank or harmless joke. This is something quite different to individuals and families who can no longer enjoy their homes,” Live Oak resident Doug Kimzey says. “The drivers of these vehicles will belittle your efforts and typically try to make your life miserable. They will typically include their friends in this effort. Do not respond to them in- kind. Your best response is to keep all responses to their provocations above-board and legal.” To report these vehicles, contact your local law enforcement agency. The following information is helpful in reporting loud vehicles: date, time, location, make, model, license plate, decibel logs and videos.
For those living with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, the loud noise emitted by noisy vehicles can cause the central nervous system to kick into overdrive, dramatically increasing cortisol and adrenaline levels. Aside from this, dimming unnecessary traffic noise will benefit children with autism spectrum disorders, people with hearing loss, as well as napping toddlers and their parents’ frayed nerves. In addition, keeping vehicle noise within Florida Law creates a curb-cut effect; just as wheelchair access makes life easier for parents pushing strollers, cyclists and people with walkers, greater awareness of noise sensitivity will improve quality of life across the board.