A bill is working its way through the Florida legislature to increase the penalties for increasingly loud car stereos. Currently, Florida law prevents anyone from playing a car stereo at a volume "so that the sound is plainly audible at a distance of 25 feet or more from the motor vehicle" or "louder than necessary for the convenient hearing by persons inside the vehicle in areas adjoining churches, schools, or hospitals." A ticket for a loud stereo is a non-moving violation and carries a small fine that many just see as a small price to pay for playing their stereos at the volume that they want. The new law, if enacted, would change the offense to a moving violation, increase the fine, and assign points; too many points on a driver's record can lead to suspension of driving privileges. The bill is supported by law enforcement agencies, especially in university communities such as Gainesville, where police are frustrated by having to respond to loud noise complaints but having their hands tied with limited enforcement authority.

Other states and municipalities are also cracking down on loud music. To reduce the growing volume, cities such as New York and Chicago are now impounding cars with loud stereos and holding them as evidence until the case is adjudicated. This provides a strong incentive for violators to appear in court and to pay their fines.

Aside from the annoyance most experience when forced to listen to a loud stereo, loud stereos on the road present a real safety issue to drivers for several reasons.

• Driver emotions
- Emotions have a big impact on driver safety. Driving experts have long known that the key to safe driving is keeping your emotions in check. A driver who is irritated, upset, or angry tends to take greater chances or fails to give full attention to the complex task of driving.

The driving situation, especially in urban areas is frustrating enough as it is. When a driver who is frustrated or angry is involuntarily assaulted by a booming stereo while stuck in traffic, the noise and irritation can lead to unsafe driving practices. In some cases, if a driver who is angry gets pushed over his or her tipping point the situation could become far more dangerous leading to a case of:


• Road Rage
- Road rage is a serious and growing problem on America's roadways. So serious that the American Psychological Association has given it its own diagnosis; Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED). IED results when a driver who is angry gets pushed over a psychological tipping point, usually by the actions of another driver, and lashes out in an attempt to harm or even kill the other driver. There have been documented cases of road rage caused by loud stereos with at least one case leading to the murder of the driver whose loud stereo precipitated the event. There have also been cases of home owners or non-drivers, killing someone over a loud stereo.


• Physical effects - Studies show that people react physically to noise. At 90 decibels (dB) or above, studies have shown that the adrenaline reaction is so powerful that people can become openly hostile and belligerent. 120 to 130 decibels is the normal threshold for pain in the ears. The average "boom car" stereo produces 120 to 140 decibels.




Long term exposure to loud noises by pregnant women can influence embryo development. According to lowertheboom.org, a website devoted to reducing the amount of noise prevalent in modern society, "exposure to the high-intensity/low-frequency sound will negatively affect her unborn child, due to the fight-or-flight adrenaline response of the mother's body. If the noise assault is in the first trimester, damage to the delicate fetal organs can occur due to the interruption of normal oxygen and nutrient flow to the placenta. During the first 14 to 60 days after conception, important developments in the central nervous system and vital organs of the baby are taking place."




• Listening to the road – Drivers need to be able to "hear the road"; in other words, drivers need to be able to hear and interpret important sounds around them as they drive. The sound of screeching tires or the fast approach of another vehicle can alert a driver to possible dangerous situations. Being aware of and getting out of the way of emergency vehicles can mean the difference between life and death.
  
  

Reducing the stress level on drivers and courtesy to other drivers, even when that courtesy is not returned, is critical to a safe driving environment. Fans of loud car stereos are naturally trying to block any legislation that could curb their desire to play their stereos as loud as they want. They also tend to ignore or discount studies that show the dangers of exposure to loud music. One such driver suggested that, "if you don't like it, just don't listen to it." That is somewhat like telling someone who is passing by a pig farm to "just don't smell it." Senses can't be turned off and the full use of our senses to the greatest extent possible, are important for safe driving.

Labels: driver courtesy, driver emotions, driver safety, florida traffic laws, road rage, safe driving

Sunshine State Looks to Improve Seat Belt Usage Rate

Florida state officials are already beefing up compliance with a new seat belt law that does not go into effect until June 30.

Gov. Charlie Crist signed a bill May 6 that permits law enforcement to pull over a passenger vehicle if officers observe the driver or front seat passenger not wearing their seat belt. It replaces the current law, which allows officers to give tickets for not wearing a seat belt only after pulling over a driver for a separate offense, like speeding or a broken tail light.

Promoting even more seat belt awareness, the state's Click It Or Ticket campaign kicked off on Monday and runs through May 31.

While the two-week safety campaign is in effect, state and local police agencies are carrying out public awareness efforts and workshops to improve seat belt use rates and conduct training on child passenger safety and safety seat installation.

"The proper use of a safety belt is the single most important action one can take to increase the chances of surviving a vehicle crash," said Sgt. Chris Gonzalez, with the Collier County Sheriff's Office Traffic Safety Enforcement Bureau. "The Collier County Sheriff's Office is asking that every driver make certain all front and back seat passengers are properly buckled up. A simple click can be the difference between life and death."

According to the Florida Department of Transportation, at 92 percent, the seat belt compliance rate for Collier County is the highest in the state. In 2008, statewide seat belt usage was 79.1 percent, making it No. 35 in the nation and below the national average of 83 percent, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The five states with the highest of seat belt use rates have primary enforcement laws like the one just passed in Florida.

One Naples resident, Tom Contento, 55, is pleased with the law's passage.

"[My children's] safety is my biggest concern," said Contento. "I think safety is more important [than questions about personal freedom]."

A woman vacationing in Naples said it is a law that works well in her home state of Connecticut, where the seat belt usage rate was 88 percent in 2008.

"I don't have a problem with it being a law," said Lisa Masoud, 45. "They do spot checks every once in a while. It works pretty well. I think one of the reasons they do it is they can be funded by the federal government."

When Florida's new law goes into effect, the state will receive a $35 million federal grant allocated to states with primary enforcement laws. That money can be used to fund road projects.

The lure of that funding helped pass the bill this year after it died in at least seven consecutive earlier sessions. The state House of Representatives approved the bill by a 95-20 vote. It passed in the Senate by 33-4.

Did you know that courses are available to educate drivers on the rules of the road and the latest defensive driving techniques? Try one now!

Labels: child safety seat, florida traffic laws, seat belt, seat belt law, seat belt safety, teen seat belt use