Kozhikode: Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) here has launched a crackdown on air horns which gave officials a 'sound' shock. Most of the private buses operating in the district violate all norms in this regard.
Emitting sounds far higher than the stipulated levels, there are even air horns having noise above the decibel levels of cannons and others sounding like the Bofors gun.
The drive was carried out taking into account the sound pollution created by air horns, the danger they pose to public health and their chances of becoming a cause of accidents.
During the drive, four squads of MVD officials launched action against 62 vehicles. Air horns of 27 buses were seized, while an amount of Rs 1.24 lakh was collected as fine for other offenses.
Normally, air horns emits sounds up to 100 decibels. But air horns up to 116 decibels were seized from private buses in Mofussil bus stand here, which could even damage the eardrum.
Other violations detected and fined during the drive included a bus without permit, 16 vehicles which were overloaded, 16 others engaged in dangerous driving, 18 helmetless riders and six motorists who used mobiles while driving.
The drive was conducted based on the transport commissioner’s directive to make Kerala an 'air horn-free state.' The commissioner's directive says that a report on the drive should be submitted within seven days.
In Kozhikode, the drive was carried out by enforcement RTO Jojy P Jose and MVIs P P Rajan and Jeby Cheriyan following the instructions of north zone deputy transport commissioner Dr Mohammed Sajeev.
How to reduce sound pollution
When a traffic signal turns green, many motorists immediately start honking. This should be avoided. Hospitals, educational institutions, courts and places of worship are silent zones where use of horns is banned in a 100-meter radius. However, at blind curves on roads and in emergency situations, horn should be used to avoid accidents.
Guard your eardrum
Drivers, especially of auto-rickshaws and buses, and traffic police officers are at the biggest risk of suffering injuries to their eardrums owing to sound pollution. In A/C cars with windows raised, horns are not that big a problem. But, shopkeepers and employees of businesses along the roads are exposed to the sound pollution from horns. People working on roads and pedestrians also cannot escape from the danger.
Scientific studies have proved that sounds above 70 decibels cause hearing loss and those over 120 decibels lead to temporary deafness. Continuous exposure to high decibel sound would lead to permanent deafness.
Air horns pose danger
Tourist buses, vans and private buses are the biggest violators of the rules regarding air horns. While these vehicles are taken to MVD officials for test, they would be fitted with ordinary horns. After the test, the normal horns would be replaced with high-decibel air horns and multi-horns.
Apart from hearing loss, high decibel sounds lead to rise in blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, sleeplessness and memory loss.
'Pe-ppe' horns new fad
The latest trend among horns is 'pe-ppe', which costs between Rs 750 and Rs 2,500. Fitting charges are extra. Meanwhile, the replacement of factory-fitted horns with those of high decibels in bikes is not in vogue now. Instead, horns like vibro mini, vin tone, smart tone and spider echo priced at Rs 550-1,000 are used in two-wheelers. In other vehicles, vibro sonic and mega sonic are most popular.
Strict laws in place
Clear guidelines are in place in the laws dealing with sound pollution and in the motor vehicles Act regarding vehicle horns. The sound limit of horns in all vehicles – including two-wheelers and buses – is 80 decibels, but it can go up to 91 decibels. Even after the high court banning air horns back in 2005, their installation and use in vehicles is rampant.
Apart from air horns, MVD is planning action against vehicles excessively using the horn and those which have altered the engine sound.
