Setting the Car Stereo Volume: How to Avoid Fines and Stay Safe

Keeping Music Volume in the Car Under Control

Those who crank up the music volume too high in their cars risk getting a fine, and quite a hefty one at that.
The reason should be evident: excessively loud music can distract the driver’s attention from the road, especially from the auditory signals of other vehicles, and particularly from the sirens of ambulances and law enforcement vehicles.
Concentration should be total, not only in terms of vision, but also regarding hearing, which is an equally fundamental sense to pick up on any potential dangers or noteworthy events.
Not to mention the risk of annoying other drivers, leading to potential discomfort and significant hazards.

The Legal Framework

There is a specific rule in the Highway Code that categorically prohibits setting the volume too high, imposing high penalties on offenders.
Many drivers underestimate this provision, as fines for this violation are not too frequent, yet it is crucial for road safety.
For many drivers, an interpretative problem also arises, as the annoyance caused by music is rather subjective, just like the level of concentration.

In reality, the level to be mindful of is the one that effectively hampers the ability to hear other noises adequately, especially those coming from outside the vehicle.
This makes it challenging to understand at what volume to set the car stereo to avoid fines, but a bit of care is all it takes.

Understanding the Legal Limits

Setting an appropriate volume for the car stereo is important to stay vigilant, as well as to avoid disturbing others or, worse, causing real distractions.
The relevant regulation is Article 155 of the Highway Code, which, in the first paragraph, stipulates that during circulation, annoying noises caused by both the way vehicles are driven, especially motorized ones, the way the load is arranged, and other acts related to circulation must be avoided.

In particular, the use of a car radio falls fully within acts related to circulation and can therefore be a source of annoying noise.
The key point is to understand at what point music becomes bothersome.
In this regard, the third paragraph specifies that radio and sound reproduction devices must not exceed the maximum sound levels of acceptability.

These limits are specifically defined by Article 350 of the Implementing Regulation of the Highway Code, which sets a maximum of 60 L/Aeq dB (A), meaning that the equivalent environmental noise must not exceed 60 decibels.
The article also explains how this data should be measured, particularly “10 cm from the driver’s ear with the microphone facing the source and with the vehicle’s door and windows closed.” The rule further clarifies that the noise must not be such as to cause annoyance, implying that even a value at the limit could be disturbing.

It is unlikely that one would need to make this measurement in everyday situations, considering that the level is quite high (enough to drown out the sound of an ambulance with sirens on), so a bit of common sense should be more than enough.
To dispel any doubts, if there is a perceived need for a high volume, a measurement should be conducted.
Even a simple smartphone application can serve this purpose, but it should never be forgotten that the law allows for a certain variability.

Penalties and Risks

Violation of Article 155 of the Highway Code entails an administrative fine ranging from 42 to 173 euros.
It is crucial to remember that enforcing officers have a certain discretion in imposing the fine since, in addition to measuring the volume, they can also take into account the specifics of the case.

If the volume is so high as to prevent the driver from safely operating the vehicle, a situation that may be evident from some recklessness committed, a fine can be imposed even below the indicated decibels.
Moreover, it is important to know that when the stereo volume is excessively loud, there is also the risk of being charged with the offense of disturbing public peace, provided that the disturbance is such as to harm a large number of people.