Plan to penalise noisy drivers submitted to States

A proposal to change Guernsey's road traffic laws to penalise the drivers of noisy vehicles has been submitted ahead of the next States meeting.

The Committee for the Environment & Infrastructure and the Committee for Home Affairs have put forward an amendment to make it an offence to drive a motor vehicle in public if the exhaust system does not comply with the decibel limit.

The committees said the proposal contributed to the States' objectives to "keep the island safe and secure".

Deputy Adrian Gabriel, who submitted the proposal, said the amendment would be "workable, practical, and pragmatic to administer."

He said: "It aims to ensure that anyone circulating a vehicle in Guernsey, can do so while knowing where an acceptable noise limit is, as it provides clear standards.

"Just as speed limits inform drivers of the maximum speed allowed, a decibel limit would inform vehicle owners of the acceptable noise levels."

Gabriel said in the submission that noise pollution had been linked to various health issues including "stress, hearing loss, and sleep disturbances".

"Setting a legal limit helps mitigate these risks and promotes a healthier living environment," he added.

"For those who wish to modify their vehicles for improved performance, knowing the legal noise limit ensures that any modifications could be done responsibly.

"As the current ordinance specifies that offences described in it are a level three fine, to simplify this offence, a fine could be introduced that is for example, the highest on the fixed penalty scale by the Committee for Home Affairs, saving police, prosecutors and court time."

The amendment will go to the next States meeting on 29 April 2025.

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