"During nighttime patrols, police officers in Shymkent identified a vehicle that was generating excessive noise due to modifications made to its exhaust system. The vehicle with a modified muffler was moving through the city streets, disturbing the peace of citizens. Residents had repeatedly complained about the loud engine roar and so-called 'night races' that disrupted rest and created a safety hazard on the roads."

According to local media reports, the police stopped the vehicle and conducted a technical inspection. During the examination, it was established that the owner had independently altered the muffler's design by installing non-standard equipment that significantly increases noise levels.

Administrative charges have been filed against the driver under the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Kazakhstan. He has been issued an order to eliminate the identified violations and restore the vehicle to its original technical condition.

Excessive vehicle noise in Almaty has become a daily occurrence. However, the local situation has its own specifics and is not simply due to heavy traffic. It concerns the deliberate actions of drivers who make design changes to their vehicles' exhaust systems with the aim of artificially increasing sound volume.

The roar of engines imitating the sound of sports cars, exhaust pops during gear changes, and so-called "night races" have become a serious and persistent problem that disturbs the peace of Almaty residents.

A key aspect of this problem is the very fact of deliberately modifying the vehicle's exhaust system. Meanwhile, factory settings for the muffler and exhaust system are strictly regulated. They are designed for a specific noise level, compliance with environmental standards, and safety requirements.

Any auto mechanic will explain that removing the catalytic converter, resonator, or installing a straight-through exhaust system drastically changes these parameters. Such modifications are arbitrary, typically do not undergo mandatory certification, and are not registered in the established manner. Courier motorcyclists in the metropolis are now also using these techniques. This cacophony cuts through the silence at any time of day or night, serves as a form of bravado, and is accompanied by aggressive driving with sharp, silence-shattering sounds…

Although traffic rules contain requirements prohibiting even the use of the horn. Has this been repealed today? Can all of this be done on the roads without hindrance?!

Operating a vehicle with unauthorized modifications to its design, especially those affecting the exhaust system, is a direct violation of technical operation regulations. In Kazakhstan's legal practice, this is classified as a violation of requirements for the technical condition and equipment of vehicles. The penalty for this can be quite severe: from a substantial administrative fine (in 2026, its amount is 5 Monthly Calculation Indices – MCI) and up to deprivation of the right to drive a vehicle for a period of up to one year.

Vehicles with illegal modifications, including interference with the exhaust system, may be de-registered or sent to a impound lot for defect elimination.

Returning to the topic of Shymkent: On April 2, 2025, a report appeared on the Polisia.kz website stating: "Fifteen hundred Shymkent residents were prohibited from operating their vehicles due to illegal modifications. Since the beginning of the year, 1,422 cases of illegal vehicle modifications have been identified in Shymkent. Of these, about 70 drivers modified their vehicle's exhaust system. This is not only a violation of vehicle operation rules but also a threat to road safety. Modified vehicles, as a rule, do not comply with standards and may have technical faults, which can lead to serious incidents. Installing elements that increase noise levels disrupts public peace and road safety."

EXCEEDING NOISE LEVEL STANDARDS IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL OFFENSE

Beyond technical regulations, this issue is directly governed by environmental legislation, in particular Article 334 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which establishes liability for operating vehicles whose noise levels exceed established standards.

This is logical, as excessive noise negatively affects not only the psychological state of citizens but also the environmental situation overall, and is considered acoustic pollution.

The fine under this article is 10 MCI (as of January 1, 2026 – 43,250 tenge) for individuals on the first offense. Notably, before July 2021, fines were significantly lower; however, the state has tightened liability for such actions, increasing the penalty fivefold, which indicates legislative recognition of the seriousness of this problem.

Moreover, to be held liable under this article, one need not be a race participant; the mere fact of operating a vehicle whose exhaust produces noise levels above sanitary norms is sufficient. A repeat violation within a year will cost the driver 20 MCI (about 86,500 tenge).

VIOLATION OF PUBLIC ORDER AND PEACE

The problem of nighttime noise is perceived most emotionally by Almaty residents. The requirement for quiet during designated hours is enshrined in legal norms. Article 437 of the Administrative Offenses Code clearly defines the times when citizens must observe silence: from 10:00 PM to 9:00 AM on weekdays and from 11:00 PM to 10:00 AM on weekends and holidays.

A sharp start of a vehicle with a "popping" muffler, or repeated passages past homes at night, is a direct violation of this article. Since January 1, 2026, due to the increase of the MCI to 4,325 tenge, the fine for such actions has risen to 21,625 tenge for the first offense; for a repeat offense, the fine doubles. Loud music from a car with "night lezginka" also falls under this article.

But there is a problem – it lies in the difficulty of documenting the violation: the police must either record the violation at the moment it is committed or obtain video and audio evidence from residents.

This means that raids and street patrols need to be strengthened. In Almaty, this is especially relevant with the arrival of the summer season when windows are open in homes.

The issue boils down to the absence of a dedicated traffic police force, which, according to an opinion expressed on the Ratel website, has created a problem: "Administrative police are responsible for everything – for drivers, for robberies, for assaults. They are forced to choose: cars parked under a sign or a serious crime. The choice is obvious. Previously, there was an elite unit – the traffic police. Professionals worked there: psychologists, traffic rule experts, excellent drivers capable of pursuing carjackers and violators. Now, the universal police must be able to do everything: enforce rules, conduct searches, and carry out prevention. The result is blurred functions and declining effectiveness."

CREATING A THREAT TO ROAD SAFETY

Often, the problem of noisy vehicles goes hand in hand with dangerous driving. The "night races," for which exhaust systems are "tuned," involve aggressive driving: speeding, abrupt lane changes, and dangerous maneuvers. These actions pose a threat both to other road users and to pedestrians. A car with a loud engine suddenly flying into the oncoming lane or through an intersection at night becomes the cause of road accidents. Due to the high noise level, other drivers may not hear emergency service signals or the sound of an approaching vehicle.

Measures against racers were intensified especially after Almaty experienced a tragedy in which a race along Al-Farabi Avenue led to the deaths of three people. We will discuss this further.

Thus, the problem of noisy cars in Almaty is an example of permissiveness and a culture of aggression that has become a driving behavior style. It is not just a household nuisance for residents, but a manifestation of disregard for legal norms, and concrete facts of violating several branches of law at once: transport safety (operation rules), environmental law (noise exceedance), and administrative law (violation of public peace and traffic rules).

Combating this phenomenon requires not only strengthening police control and raids (especially at night) but also work to foster a legal culture among drivers, who must understand that their desire to be "loud" should not outweigh the right of a million-strong city to peace, healthy sleep, and a civilized, safe urban environment.

City residents themselves should also join this effort; they could send similar videos to the appropriate police service via a special hotline (perhaps using WhatsApp messenger) for response.

City streets are not a place to display one's whims and ambitions. The road demands discipline and order – the lives and peace of mind of citizens depend on it.

Asiya NURIMBETOVA