Govt to tighten vehicle lighting rules: Low-beam-only bikes, reduced headlamp glare
The Indian government has proposed new vehicle safety regulations to reduce road accidents caused by glare. These rules mandate that automatic headlamps on new two-wheelers default to low-beam and restrict the intensity and color temperature of lights for all vehicles.
Why it matters
These regulations aim to improve road safety in India by addressing the common issue of high-beam glare, which significantly impairs visibility for other drivers at night.
NEW DELHI: Automatic headlamps in two-wheelers will soon work only in passing beam (low beam) mode, and buses and other heavy vehicles will have to use genuine reflective tapes to improve visibility at night and in bad weather. Also, the use of high-intensity headlamps will be restricted across all categories of vehicles to curb glare, which causes visual discomfort or impairs the vision of other road users.The road transport ministry has proposed these changes, among others, through draft amendments to Central Motor Vehicles Rules, with the new safety norms set to take effect from next April. The amendments in automotive vehicle standards are being made given that efforts to persuade drivers and make them aware of the need to use low-beam mode have not yielded desired results.The automatic headlamp norms would be applicable only for new two-wheelers and not existing ones.
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