Police in Lugazi have launched a crackdown on drivers of Subaru vehicles fitted with modified exhaust systems that produce loud ‘pop and bang’ sounds, following complaints from residents over night-time noise pollution.
One driver is currently in police custody after being arrested on Saturday while driving a noisy Subaru in Lugazi Town, Ssezibwa Region.
Ms Hellen Butoto, the Ssezibwa Region police spokesperson, yesterday said the operation followed complaints from residents through the Buikwe Resident District Commissioner, Maj David Matovu.
‘We still have two vehicles that we seized on Friday. We are having one driver in custody while the other is still on the run,’ Ms Butoto said yesterday.
She added that although the initial complaints were specifically against Subaru drivers, the operation would target all vehicles producing excessive noise.
‘For now, the complaint we have is from the residents of Lugazi against Subaru drivers, but as police we shall arrest any vehicle that makes noise for the people,’ she said.
In an interview yesterday, the RDC said security agencies are actively searching for a blue Subaru and several motorcycles whose operators have been terrorizing residents with loud, modified exhaust systems.
‘Lugazi is turning into a no-go area due to indisciplined Subaru drivers. As authorities, we shall not tolerate this behavior,’ Maj Matovu warned.
The RDC also revealed that a group of youth has been deliberately modifying motorcycle exhausts to produce loud and unnecessary noise, which he described as a public nuisance. He said all culprits will be arrested and prosecuted.
Authorities have urged the public to report such cases as efforts intensify to restore order and safety in the area.
Police said the operation follows complaints that some Subaru drivers have modified their exhaust systems to produce loud explosive sounds, particularly at night.
Ms Butoto said one of the suspects was arrested after driving through Lugazi while producing sounds that residents compared to gunshots.
‘The suspect was driving through Lugazi Town while producing loud explosive sounds similar to gunshots at a time when most residents were asleep. The noise also disrupted patients receiving treatment in nearby health facilities,’ she said.
Maj Matovu, according to police, raised concerns that the night-time noise was interfering with residents’ sleep, prompting the enforcement operation.
The crackdown comes amid growing popularity of modified Subaru vehicles whose exhaust systems are altered to produce a louder ‘boxer rumble’ and, in some cases, deliberate ‘pop and bang’ sounds.
The crux of the matter followed a recent incident in which a woman reportedly collapsed into a coma after being exposed to the loud explosive sounds from a modified vehicle. She was later admitted to hospital.
Mr Julius Nanawula, a resident of Lugazi, also recounted a similar ordeal involving his pregnant wife, Irene Mutesi. He said the incident occurred while he was rushing her to Kawolo Hospital.
‘I almost lost my wife after a Subaru driver’s vehicle with a modified exhaust produced a loud bang that caused panic. She collapsed and had to be admitted and put on oxygen,’ Mr Nanawula said.
While some exhaust modifications are intended to improve exhaust flow or enhance engine sound, excessively loud systems can fall foul of regulations governing noise pollution.
What the law says
The National Environment (Noise Standards and Control) Regulations, 2003 define noise as unwanted or annoying sound that is intrinsically objectionable or which can have, or is likely to have, an adverse effect on human health or the environment.
The regulations set the maximum permissible sound level in residential areas at 60 decibels (dB(A) Leq) during the day and 40 dB(A) Leq at night.
For vehicles intended to carry passengers and equipped with not more than nine seats, including the driver’s seat, the regulations provide for a maximum hooting sound level of 78 dB(A) Leq.
The decibel scale is used to measure the intensity of sound, while Leq represents an equivalent continuous sound level over a specified period.
Some modified exhaust systems can produce substantially higher sound levels, particularly under heavy acceleration, potentially putting them above the limits prescribed under noise-control regulations.
The crackdown therefore presents a test of how traffic and environmental regulations can be enforced against motorists whose vehicle modifications create excessive noise.
Police have not indicated how long the operation will last, but Ms Butoto warned that enforcement would not be limited to Subaru drivers.
The operation is expected to continue as authorities seek to balance motorists’ freedom to modify their vehicles with residents’ right to a peaceful environment, particularly at night.