After the inauguration of the sound radar in Saint-Lambert-des-Bois in Yvelines, it is now the turn of the Alpes-Maritimes. Cannes, Saint-Laurent du Var, Cagnes-sur-Mer, Mougins, and Nice will have eight radars installed during February 2022.
Equipped with 360° cameras and microphones, Nice will be armed with new sound radars, like six other municipalities in France. They will allow vehicles making too much noise to be caught, both in urban areas and on roads with a speed limit of 50 km/h. The “social cost” related to noise is estimated to be 147 billion euros each year in France. Indeed, the sound environment greatly impacts property values, sleep, and hearing, making it a real public health issue.
Warnings and Fines
The goal is to combat noise pollution by prohibiting drivers from exceeding 90 decibels, a level often exceeded by drivers with “tweaked” vehicles or those using their engines at excessive speeds.
Information panels will be installed in advance of the radars to warn drivers. Drivers who are caught will first receive a warning. This will be followed by fines, which are expected to begin in 6 months. The offense will be punished with a 4th class fine, amounting to a 135€ penalty, reduced to 90€ if paid within 15 days of the infraction.
