SGI is making some new policies regarding the definition of excessively loud vehicles, in an effort to better serve laws and legislation in Saskatchewan.

While excessively loud vehicles are mentioned in various laws in the province, the lack of a common definition can cause some confusion.

SGI spokesperson Tyler McMurchy says that the main objective of the new definition will be to help both the police officers enforcing laws.

"What is happening now is not that we're changing the law, it's just a policy to help objectively determine how loud is too loud. Setting a standard and how it's measured, it really takes the guesswork out of enforcing it for law enforcement, by introducing an objective way to measure whether or not a vehicle's creating excessive noise."

It'll also help citizens know when their vehicle is too loud for those laws and let them make any changes before they get a ticket.

“Right now, determining whether a vehicle is excessively loud is up to the discretion of law enforcement which can make it difficult to enforce because the criteria is subjective,” said JP Cullen, COO of the Saskatchewan Auto Fund. “This policy will remove all guesswork by introducing an objective way to measure whether or not a vehicle is creating excessive noise.”  

SGI says that they'll be looking at the new definition from the perspective of disruptions, instead of a medical perspective.

"I think what it'll be is looking at the kind of level of noise, looking at the way to measure that, and determining what level of noise is too loud. It won't be looking at specific ear damage, necessarily, but at some point when there is a level of noise that is unacceptable to what would be considered normal."

Once the policy is finalized, SGI says that they will be hosting free educational days where there will be opportunities for motorists to test their vehicles.

These tests will be in accordance with the new policy and will be done without any consequence so motorists can learn whether their vehicle is over the established threshold.  

McMurchy expects that policy to take shape sometime in late spring or early summer.