Annoyance and disturbance of daily activities from road traffic noise in Canada

• Published in: The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America Vol. 123; no. 2; pp. 784 - 792
• Main Authors: Michaud, David S., Keith, Stephen E., McMurchy, Dale
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Woodbury, NY Acoustical Society of America 01.02.2008; American Institute of Physics
• Subjects: Acoustics; Adolescent; Adult; Aeroacoustics, atmospheric sound; Age Factors; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Attitude; Canada - epidemiology; Dyssomnias - etiology; Dyssomnias - psychology; Environmental Exposure; Exact sciences and technology; Female; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Humans; Loudness Perception; Male; Middle Aged; Motor Vehicles; Noise, Transportation - adverse effects; Noise: its effects and control; Physics; Psychoacoustics; Sampling Studies; Sex Factors; Stress, Psychological - epidemiology; Stress, Psychological - etiology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Time Factors; Canada; Noise pollution; Road traffic; Background noise; Traffic noise
• ISSN: 0001-4966; 1520-8524; 1520-8524
• DOI: 10.1121/1.2821984

This study evaluated road traffic noise annoyance in Canada in relation to activity interference, subject concerns about noise and self-reported distance to a major road. Random digit dialing was employed to survey a representative sample of 2565 Canadians 15 years of age and older. Respondents highly annoyed by traffic noise were significantly more likely to perceive annoyance to negatively impact health, live closer to a heavily traveled road and report that traffic noise often interfered with daily activities. Sex, age, education level, community size and province had statistically significant associations with traffic noise annoyance. High noise annoyance consistently correlated with frequent interference of activities. Reducing noise at night ( 10 pm - 7 am ) was more important than during the rest of the day.