Majority of women in NL feel unsafe due to fireworks on New Year’s Eve: survey

More than half of the women in the Netherlands are reluctant to walk alone on the street during New Year's Eve due to fireworks, as reported by an RTL Nieuws survey published Monday. The survey also revealed a majority of people in the Netherlands in favor of a ban on consumer fireworks for New Year’s Eve.

The survey, involving over 22,000 members of the RTL Nieuws Panel, was conducted from December 1 to 5. It found that 53 percent of women feel unsafe due to fireworks on New Year’s Eve, compared to 29 percent of men. The feeling of insecurity is mainly due to loud bangs and firecrackers.

The survey also revealed that 55 percent of respondents experience significant disturbance from fireworks outside the permitted lighting period for fireworks, largely due to loud and unexpected noises. In the Netherlands, people are allowed to light fireworks between December 31, 6:00 p.m. and January 1, 2:00 a.m.

As a consequence, many are advocating for stricter measures against fireworks-related nuisance and damage, with 52 percent calling for more border controls on illegal fireworks and 51 percent seeking better enforcement.

55 percent support a total ban on consumer fireworks, citing nuisance, accidents, and emergency services pressure. In November 2022, a survey by EenVandaag found that 61 percent of Dutch residents were in favor of a nationwide consumer fireworks ban.

In the previous New Year's celebration, bans on fireworks were imposed in several locations in the Netherlands, including Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Nijmegen, Apeldoorn, and Heuvelrug in Utrecht. However, this ban was widely ignored.