Greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles have an exceptionally harmful effect on people’s health, causing chronic respiratory disease, heart disease and lung cancer, among other things, but the negative impact of the automobile goes beyond air pollution. On top of carbon dioxide, motor vehicles emit substantial noise that is generated by engines, exhaust systems, horns, alarms, as well as tires contacting the road.
Noise pollution has been known to cause stress, headaches, fatigue, hearing loss, and sleep disturbances. Now, a new study reveals that exposure to noise pollution from traffic has severe long-term effects on people’s health, as well, reducing life expectancy and increasing the risk of stroke.
According to a study conducted by researchers at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, in collaboration with Imperial College London and King’s College London, there is a definite correlation between long-term exposure to noise pollution from motor vehicles and higher death rates and increased strokes. To determine the effects of road traffic pollution on public health, researchers analyzed data for 8.6 million London residents between 2003 and 2010, and found that deaths were 4 percent higher in areas with road traffic noise of more than 60 dB, compared to areas with less than 55 dB.
Most of the deaths were caused by cardiovascular diseases, which researchers say is highly likely a result of stress, increased blood pressure and sleep disorders, which are some of the most common effects of noise pollution. In addition to road traffic noise levels, researchers took into account other factors that could increase the risk of heart problems, such as smoking rate, age, sex, and air pollution.
In addition to heart problems, areas with daytime traffic of more than 60 dB were linked with a 5% higher risk of stroke, compared to areas with less than 55 dB.
During the period in which researchers conducted the study, 400,494 adults were admitted to hospital for heart or blood vessel problems, 179,163 of which were aged 75 and over.
Lead author Dr Jaana Halonen from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said: “Road traffic noise has previously been associated with sleep problems and increased blood pressure, but our study is the first in the UK to show a link with deaths and strokes. This is the largest study of its kind to date, looking at everyone living inside the M25 over a seven-year period. Our findings contribute to the body of evidence suggesting reductions in traffic noise could be beneficial to our health.”