N.Y. Vehicle & Traffic Law § 386: Motor vehicle sound level limits

§ 386. Motor vehicle sound level limits. 1. As used in this section;

a. A-weighted sound level shall mean the sound pressure level measured

by the use of an instrument with the metering characteristics and

A-weighting frequency response prescribed for sound level meters.

b. Combination of vehicles shall mean any device consisting of a motor

vehicle and one or more trailers drawn by such motor vehicle.

c. Sound pressure level shall mean twenty times the logarithm to the

base ten of the ratio of the root mean squared pressure of a sound to a

reference pressure of twenty micropascals. The unit applied to this

measure shall be the decibel (dB).

2. This section shall apply to the total sound level emitted from a

motor vehicle or a combination of vehicles.

3. Unlawful acts.

a. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or cause to be

operated on a public highway any motor vehicle or combination of

vehicles with a maximum gross weight in excess of ten thousand pounds,

at any time, under any condition of grade, load, acceleration or

deceleration in such a manner as to exceed the applicable A-weighted

sound level set forth in table I. The maximum allowable sound levels in

table I are based on a sound level measured at, or adjusted to, a

distance of fifty feet from the center of the lane in which the motor

vehicle is traveling.

TABLE I

MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE

A-WEIGHTED SOUND LEVELS

MAXIMUM SPEED LIMIT

35 miles

per hour over 35

OR LESS MILES PER HOUR

86DB (A) 90 DB (A)

b. In addition, it shall be unlawful for any person to operate or

cause to be operated on a public highway any motor vehicle or

combination of vehicles with a maximum gross weight in excess of ten

thousand pounds and equipped with an engine speed governor, which

generates an A-weighted sound level in excess of eighty-eight dB(A)

measured at, or adjusted to, a distance of fifty feet from the

longitudinal centerline of the vehicle, when the engine of such vehicle

is accelerated from idle with a wide open throttle to governed speed

with the vehicle stationary, transmission in neutral and clutch engaged.

c. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or cause to be

operated on a public highway any motor vehicle or combination of

vehicles, except motorcycles, with a maximum gross weight of ten

thousand pounds or less, at any time, under any condition of grade,

load, acceleration or deceleration in such a manner as to exceed the

applicable A-weighted sound level set forth in table II. The maximum

allowable sound levels in table II are based on a sound level measured

at, or adjusted to, a distance of fifty feet from the center of the lane

in which the motor vehicle is traveling:

TABLE II

MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE

A-WEIGHTED SOUND LEVELS

MAXIMUM SPEED LIMIT

35 miles

per hour over 35

OR LESS MILES PER HOUR

76 DB(A) 82 DB(A)

d. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate or cause to be

operated on a public highway any motorcycle, at any time, under any

condition of grade, load, acceleration or deceleration in such a manner

as to exceed the applicable A-weighted sound level set forth in table

III. The maximum allowable sound levels in table III are based on a

sound level measured at, or adjusted to, a distance of fifty feet from

the center of the lane in which the motorcycle is traveling.

TABLE III

MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE

A-WEIGHTED SOUND LEVELS

MAXIMUM SPEED LIMIT

35 miles

per hour over 35

OR LESS MILES PER HOUR

82 DB(A) 86 DB(A)

4. The commissioner of environmental conservation shall promulgate

regulations establishing the measurement procedures and instrumentation

to be utilized in the enforcement of this section.

a. These procedures shall allow, to the extent feasible, motor vehicle

sound measurements to be accomplished in reasonably confined areas such

as residential areas of urban cities, and may provide for sound

measurement at distances other than fifty feet and in the vicinity of

sound reflecting surfaces.

b. The regulations shall take into consideration recognized scientific

and professional standards for the measurement of vehicular sound

levels.

5. The provisions of this section shall not apply to vehicles and

implements or combinations thereof used solely for farm purposes, nor to

authorized emergency vehicles.

6. Nothing in this section shall be construed as limiting or

precluding the enforcement of equipment requirements or any other

provisions of law relating to motor vehicle noise.

7. At intervals of not more than two years, the commissioner of

environmental conservation shall report to the governor and the

legislature on the current state of the art of motor vehicle sound level

limitations and recommend changes as necessary.