This post may contain affiliate links and we may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no extra cost to you. As an amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more from the privacy policy page
Can You Get A Ticket For A Car Alarm Going Off – In the eyes of some law enforcement, a car alarm going off is considered to be a nuisance. In fact, in some states, an officer can ticket you for your car alarm going off if it cannot be turned off from inside the vehicle.
However, there are exceptions that allow alarms to go off without being fined — such as when the vehicle has been broken into or is on private property.
No one wants to get a hefty fine for something they did not do! If this sounds like you and your car alarm goes off often, then keep reading!
Can You Get A Ticket For A Car Alarm Going Off?
While it can offer some deterrence, alarms are generally designed to provide warning of impending danger. And even if that blaring noise is being generated by your alarm clock, you probably want to shut it right now!
Poorly controlled noise presents a growing threat to people’s health, therefore the United States’ Noise Control Act of 1972 (NCA) authorized federal action to address potential causes of noise which includes noises from appliances, machinery, commercial products, and of course, car alarms! So, you may get a ticket for a car alarm going off!
For instance, if it is very loud and persistent, it would be a noise violation. You might be pulled over when spotted, but, likely, a police officer will rather choose to help than penalize you. You know a car might be stolen too and they just want to double-check to be sure that it is actually in the hands of the rightful owner.
Beeping car alarms can occur at any time of the day, including sleep time. You’ll be kept awake at the odd hours and your neighbours will struggle with sleep too. No one likes that! If your car alarm goes off randomly, there may be an issue with the sensitivity or the alarm itself.
Consider These Tips To Control The Blaring Of The Car In 2021
1. Check your car fob
Your car fob could be the culprit if there are no other issues with your car. You can test it easily by removing the battery from your car fob and let it stay through the night or day. Most modern cars have extra features to keep you safe in case you encounter any life-threatening situation at a parking lot. They often have an alarm feature on the car fob. And so if the car fob gets damaged, you may be getting this signal with the blaring from your vehicle.
Check your wiring and fix things up quickly, otherwise, you could receive harsh complaints from your neighbours or even get tickets or citations over the issue.
2. Your car alarm sensitivity might be too high
You might just need to take some minutes to adjust your car alarm sensitivity – it may be too high. You are likely going to get the car alarm sensitivity on the shock sensor, in a three-square-inch-sized box below the dashboard on the driver’s column.
Move the adjustment dial to adjust the shock sensor. Lower it by moving it counterclockwise, and check out the sensitivity to see if it is a perfect one for you. Do this to find what is suitable. It is often better to adjust the car alarm sensitivity than killing it.
3. Park your car in a different location
Your car alarms might be going off as a result of environmental circumstances such as rumbling or noise that may result from the passing of large trucks or trains.
You may not notice this if you are in your house or at work. Before you begin to panic over the state of your car, try to park in a different location where your car can be less prone to such environmental issues to see what happens.
Having said this, it is also quite possible that it is your neighbour’s car alarm that is always going off and they have refused to resolve the issue. First, talk to them about it, but if that doesn’t work, then consider other options.
Frequently Asked Question and Answers
- Report a noise violation to the police
Many states and cities in the United States have car alarm laws that restrict noise types and amounts from vehicles.
States like Los Angeles have the Los Angeles Municipal Code that prohibits a vehicle from making constant noise for five minutes.
In California, the California Vehicle Code reveals that any vehicle emitting continuous noise for 20 minutes straight may be towed away by a police officer.
If you put a call through to the police over noise violation in your neighbourhood, your neighbour might consider doing something about it quickly.
- You may also file a tort lawsuit
If you particularly reside in a jurisdiction without a car alarm law, you may want to consider this more drastic measure.
You’ll however need to prove that your neighbour’s handling of the car alarm issue has hampered your freedom and peace at your home.
But funny enough, you may lose this right if your neighbour is able to prove that his car’s safety is of more importance than your peace.
Conclusion
So, what should you do if your car alarm goes off? The best thing to do is first try and turn it off yourself–if that doesn’t work, call the police. If an officer cannot make the noise stop from outside of your vehicle, they may ticket you for not shutting up.
However, there are exceptions where alarms can go off without being fined–such as when the vehicle has been broken into or is on private property. These situations often happen during critical moments in time like after a break-in at home or office so having an audible warning system could be lifesaving!
One way to avoid breaking any laws is by disabling your horn before parking somewhere overnight.