Dubai: Think your modified car sounds cool? Think again! Abu Dhabi Police are cracking down on noisy vehicles, because not only are they violating the Federal Traffic Law, but can also be stressful for fellow road users, and community members.
In a post shared on their social media channels on February 23, the police authority asked motorists to not cause noise-related disruptions, especially in residential neighbourhoods. The police also asked people to report such noisy vehicles on the policy hotline - 999.
In an earlier message, the authority said that the noise can startle other drivers pedestrians and residents of neighbourhoods, especially for children and the elderly.
Gulf News had earlier reported that radars had been installed in various parts of the emirate to capture the licence plate of drivers whose vehicles produce a sound exceed 95 decibels. To put it into perspective, the noise limit for construction work as set by Dubai Municipality is 55 decibels, while an average bird call is recorded at 44 decibels. Meanwhile, the noise from a large electrical transformer can be at 50 decibels.
The radar device put into place measures decibels of passing cars and capture violators by video and audio.
Police authorities across the UAE regularly conduct awareness campaigns to educate motorists against this practice. In Sharjah, police authorities seized as many as 935 noisy vehicles in 2018 for causing disturbance to residents in different parts of the emirate.
Fine
Those exceeding 95 decibels can be fined Dh2,000 and get 12 black points, according to Article 20 of the Federal Traffic Law.
How to report a noisy vehicle
Abu Dhabi – 999
Dubai – 901
Sharjah – 800151
Ajman – 999
Ras Al Khaimah – 8002626
Fujairah – 999
Umm Al Quwain – 999
Illegal engine modifications
Modifying your car engine, to amplify its sound is also not a good idea. It is bad for your car, as removing mufflers damages your engine and increases emissions. Also, modifying an engine without abiding by the law can be slapped a Dh1,000 fine and 12 traffic black points. Workshops in the UAE are strictly not allowed to modify any engines, according to Hassan Sajjad, owner of an autorepair business in the UAE.
“What some vehicles owners do is remove the engine’s mufflers, which suppress the engine’s noise. The car becomes more noisy, but the driver gains a few extra horse powers on the engine. However, in the trade-off, not only does the car become more noisy, it also starts emitting more poisonous gases, as the process includes the removal of the vehicle’s catalytic converter, which is an exhaust emission control device,” he said.
What some vehicles owners do is remove the engine’s mufflers, which suppress the engine’s noise. The car becomes more noisy, but the driver gains a few extra horse powers on the engine.
However, Sajjad added that workshops in the UAE are strictly not allowed to make any such modifications, and vehicle owners would also be unable to pass the vehicle test which is done during registration renewal.
“The test includes an emission level test, which checks if the car’s emission levels are within the stipulated limit,” he said.
