A World Health Organisation (WHO) report states that 60 decibel sound can make a person temporarily deaf while 100db can render a person completely deaf. On Dhaka streets, the sound level is between 60-80 decibels. This is alarming because continuous exposure to noise is making many people slowly lose their auditory senses.

The worry is more for children because if a child below the age of 3 grows up in too much noise, his/her hearing ability will be impaired over time. Many urban specialists have repeatedly said that the usage of hydraulic horn must be banned, otherwise noise pollution cannot be contained. On Dhaka’s streets, hydraulic horns have become rare though the usual honking shows no sign of abating. Noise pollution in the cities is caused mainly by reckless honking, inconsiderate usage of mikes and other forms of sounds.

It may be easy to say that honking can be reduced with strict traffic laws but the reality is that the habit of pressing the horn while on the road is ingrained in our culture. This can only be addressed when the issue of unnecessary honking is discussed within family spheres. Children always learn what they see in adults, therefore, unless seniors start to change the habit, laws won’t be of much help.

One other thing to address is the rise of road rage – a psychological disorder which compels a driver to become impatient quickly and blow the horn. Unfortunately, this is a regular event which we have come to accept as normal. In Western countries, the horn is only pressed as a warning when another car on the road has made a terrible blunder. There is no need to press the horn to clear roads because everyone is following traffic rules. Once more, we come to the basic flaw – lack of respect to rules and a proclivity to flout them. The sound on Dhaka streets will fall only when cars begin to follow regulations and drivers learn patience.

Also, a non-honking rule has to be enforced near schools, colleges, hospitals and in residential areas. In these cases, the onus lies on the driver. Dhaka was once a city of tranquility and to bring back that peace, a civic sense needs to develop.

As schools are taking part in safe roads campaign, the need for less honking can be intertwined with the move. In addition, usage of mikes, loudhailers, especially for political publicity in residential areas have to be outlawed.