Annoyance from road traffic noise: A review

In this paper the negative effects resulting from exposure to road traffic noise on people's well being is reviewed in the light of the latest published finding;. Annoyance is particularly focused on, which is considered to be one of the first and most widespread reactions to environmental noise. The nonauditory effects of noise on humans are viewed as being generally stress-related, following observations that noise exposures engender physiological reactions typical to those of stress. First, a short presentation is made of what noise in general is. Subsequently, in order to assess some subjective judgements of noise, some of the important noise descriptors, which are often used to quantify various aspects of road traffic noise are introduced. In general terms, it is found from the present review that the continuous exposure of people to road traffic noise leads to suffering from various kinds of discomfort, thus reducing appreciably the number of their well-being elements. Drawing such a conclusion is hindered by difficulties when nonacoustical factors, for instance socio-economic situation, age and gender, are also taken into account along with the usual acoustical factors of road traffic noise. One of people's first and direct reactions to noise is in terms of annoyance. The results of several decades of research on this topic have permitted lately the establishment of a more or less quantitative relationship between the objective quantities characterizing road traffic noise and the human subjective reaction to it; as expressed by annoyance. These findings are important at both the society and the individual level, in as much as they may help in regulating in a more efficient way the planning of road traffic activity in order to secure at least the minimum of comfort to the affected population. (C) 2001 Academic Press.