In a bid to quiet thundering mufflers, bipartisan legislation would impose fines on drivers and auto shops that boost car exhaust volume. (Getty Images)
New Jersey lawmakers want to quiet screaming car mufflers.
In a bid to end cacophonous cars, the Senate Transportation Committee on Monday unanimously approved bipartisan legislation that would bar New Jersey motorists and auto shops from modifying mufflers to be louder or installing louder mufflers.
“First of all, I think it almost encourages crazy driving because obviously they want to hear this sound, and secondly, it’s just the definition of an annoyance,” said Sen. Patrick Diegnan (D-Middlesex), a sponsor and the committee’s chair.
Though New Jersey law requires all vehicles to have a functional muffler to prevent excess noise, existing statute only bars the use of muffler cutouts and other modifications that increase exhaust volume on highways and imposes a fine of only $25 on motorists who violate it.
Individuals or businesses that modify exhaust systems in a way that boosts volume would face up to $500 in fines and no more than 30 days’ imprisonment under the bill’s provisions. Businesses that sell amplified mufflers would face equivalent penalties.