The effect of environmental noise on children’s reading ability and behaviour in Europe

This briefing provides information about the effect of environmental noise from road, rail and air transport on children’s reading ability and behaviour in Europe, to support EU policy responses. It is based on data submitted by EEA member countries under the EU’s Environmental Noise Directive (END).

Key messages

• Children living or attending school in areas impacted by transport noise tend to score lower on reading comprehension and face more behavioural challenges.
• Over half a million children in Europe experience impaired reading ability due to environmental noise from road, rail and air transport.
• Almost 60,000 cases in Europe of behavioural difficulties in children are due to environmental noise generated from transport.
• Those cases of impaired reading ability and behavioural difficulties can be largely prevented through interventions to reduce environmental noise at homes and schools.