By Patricia Uyeh

Hate loud traffic? You should because it is quite stressful and annoying. Traffic is synonymous with Lagos. Noise blaring from loud speakers, the traders who sell by the roadside, those who disobey traffic laws and regulations all add up to traffic congestion. Well, traffic appears to be unavoidable in this part of our world. Maybe waking up or driving against traffic might be the saving grace but we all know how it shows its ugly head when unexpected. The rule of the game is to be prepared always and have alternatives.

According to a new study carried out, traffic could be shortening ones lifespan.The study, which was carried out by London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine researchers, involved an examination of noise levels and death records associated with people in London, England.
The researchers found that in locations where daytime road noise went beyond 60 decibels, the death rate was approximately four per cent higher than areas where road noise was below 55-decibels. I am pretty sure that of Lagos State is way higher but then, we are survivors. However, it is better to take necessary precautions to avoid serious health related problems.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says that health problems begin to emerge when community noise exceeds 55 decibels. It’s currently estimated that roughly one in eight residents of London, are exposed to traffic noise levels above 55-decibels.The researchers, who conducted their study over a seven-year period (2003-2010), also discovered that people living in areas with loud traffic were five per cent more likely to be sent to hospital with a stroke. Among the elderly, that number almost doubled, to 9-percent.The study’s lead researcher, Jaana Halonen, says her team took other factors–including smoking habits, socio-economic conditions, and ethnicity–into account.This is hardly the first study to link traffic noise with health concerns.
Previously, studies have linked community noise and increased blood pressure and stress, both of which can contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease. Hence the more serene one’s environment is, the better it is for ones overall health.