A free decibel-reading event will be held on April 27, 2024 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. to help motorists identify if their vehicle exceeds the decibel level limits set in the Community Standards Bylaw.
City of Red Deer Peace Officers and members from Red Deer RCMP’s Traffic Unit will be set up in the P9 parking lot across from the downtown RCMP detachment (5025 47 Street) to test sound emission levels from all types of vehicles and provide participants with a better understanding of their vehicle noise level.
“This event offers the opportunity for motorists to engage with us and we hope to foster understanding and cooperation for the bylaw,” said Peter Puszka, Acting Manager of Municipal Policing Services at The City of Red Deer. “This is a good opportunity to test your vehicle without concern of ticketing, learn more about the bylaw, and learn how we can make our streets more harmonious for everyone.”
The event is free and motorists are encouraged to bring their car, truck or motorcycle out and rev their engines to see if they fall within the acceptable range for noise. No tickets will be issued, as this event is part of the larger awareness campaign aimed to educate drivers on noise impact and understanding when noise becomes nuisance. There will be an amnesty period given to those whose vehicles seen as being in violation of existing noise regulations.
Approved in May 2022, the Community Standards Bylaw addresses excessive vehicle noise by setting acceptable decibel (dBA) levels for vehicles. A vehicle at idle must not exceed 92 dBA, while a vehicle at any speed greater than idling must not exceed 96 dBA. Since launching the traffic noise campaign, 156 tickets have been issued to offending motorists, including 68 tickets under The City’s bylaw and 88 tickets issued under the Traffic Safety Act for excessive noise, altered mufflers, and creating unnecessary noise.
For more information about the community standards bylaw, visit reddeer.ca/noise