TRENTON, NJ – If your car’s sound system can be heard plainly at more than 50 feet away, you could find yourself with a ticket or, worse, you can have your vehicle impounded and even forfieted.
New Jersey has passed a new bill targeting loud, disruptive vehicles, often referred to as “boom cars.” This legislation allows for the impoundment, seizure, and even destruction of vehicles that are deemed nuisances due to their excessive noise levels.
The newly passed bill extends these provisions to include nuisance motor vehicles. A nuisance motor vehicle is defined as one where the sound produced from its sound system is plainly audible at a distance of 50 feet or more from the vehicle.
Additionally, the bill allows municipalities to declare such vehicles as an immediate threat to public health, safety, and welfare, designating them as contraband subject to forfeiture.
The vehicles that are forfeited can be disposed of according to State law or destroyed at the discretion of the entity funding the prosecuting agency.
Proponents of the bill argue that it addresses a persistent issue affecting community peace and quality of life, allowing local authorities more robust tools to deal with the problem. Detractors may see the new regulations as overly harsh and worry about potential misapplication.
The law came from loud ‘boom parties’, but under the law, simply blasting your car stereo in a public place can get you into trouble
Under the existing law, vehicles such as snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles, and dirt bikes can be impounded if operated in violation of regulations. Penalties for a first offense include impoundment for at least seven days and a fee of $500, plus reasonable towing and storage costs. A second or subsequent offense leads to impoundment for no less than 14 days and a fee of $750, in addition to other costs. If the owner fails to reclaim the vehicle within 30 days, it may be sold at public auction.
Last week, the law was signed into effect by Acting New Jersey Governor Nick Scutari.