Vehicles' daytime lamps must not affect vision of other motorists: Madras HC

Chennai: Madras high court has observed that daytime running lamps in vehicles, which was introduced recently, should not affect vision of motorists of on-coming vehicles.

When a PIL from K.K. Rajendran of Korattur, came up for hearing before Justices T.S. Sivagnanam and V. Bhavani Subbaroyan on Thursday, the bench observed that the modern vehicles are fitted with very powerful headlights and the mandatory black dot, which is otherwise known as ‘Bull’s Eye’, were not affixed. This affects the motorists of on-coming vehicles and virtually blinding their vision.

The bench said that it appears that there is a proposal to make it mandatory for all two-wheelers to have a ‘day light’, which automatically switches on as soon as the vehicle is started and it cannot be switched off. However, such ‘day light’ has certain prescriptions as per International Standards and it should not affect the on-coming traffic.

The bench said, “what we found recently was several two-wheelers have LED lights and those lights are left burning during the day time, which is a traffic hazard. This aspect has to be gone into by the authorities concerned, since steps are always taken to prevent motorists from using multi-colour lights in the vehicles.”

Later, the bench posted the matter for further hearing to July 27 and file report.

In the petition Rajendran sought for a direction to the Transport and police authorities to strictly enforce the rules of wearing helmets both by the rider and pillion riders of two-wheelers and seat-belts by the drivers and front seat occupiers of four-wheelers.

Rajendran said Section 129 of Motor Vehicle Act 1988 mandates every person driving two wheeler shall wear protective helmet. Further rule 138 (3) of Motor Vehicle rule 1989 requires seat-belts by the drivers and front seat occupiers of four-wheelers in the vehicle shall wear seat belts while the vehicle in motion.

Though enforcement agencies taking steps against the violators, the authorities had not implemented the rules effectively. On March 29, 2018, he sent representations to the authorities to enforce the rules strictly and enforce both the two-wheeler rider and pillion rider to wear helmet. He also sought to make drivers and front seat occupiers of four-wheelers in the vehicle to wear seat belts.