Driving in the Dark: The Alarming State of Road Lighting in India.

Lighting is an artificial light invention by Humphry Davy to manage nighttime visibility in place of sunlight. Today, Indian streetlights and vehicle headlights are crucial for nighttime visibility and driving on the road. However, in India, there is a significant gap between the effectiveness of street and vehicle lighting and the road accident.

Street light issues facing the driver and rider :

Non-availability, poor maintenance, and blinking street lights are also dangers, as is the non-availability of street lights.

In India, streetlights are available and functional in urban areas, but in rural areas, there is a lack of streetlight availability and functionality. During the night driving, streetlights help to identify road hazards and ensure safer driving. The vulnerable road user present and  behaviour on Indian roads is danger; due to the lack of streetlight functionality, there is increasing road accident, which is essential for road visibility and driver safety.

Challenges in Road Lighting: Issues Affecting Drivers

• Visibility issues
• Confusion of road users present
• Distraction
• Difficulty in anticipating hazards
• Increased stopping distance
• Eye strain due to low light
• Risk of animal collisions
• Difficulty in navigating intersections
• Increased risk of hit-and-run accidents 

 Headlight issue facing the road user and driver :

Vehicle headlights are the primary source of visibility for nighttime driving. Before 1979, cars and bikes used manual lamps for night visibility. However, with the rapid increase in vehicle population and infrastructure, these lamps became bulbs, halogen, and more artificial for higher illumination on the road while driving.

Today, vehicle headlights use artificial halogen bulbs after the market is used by the vehicle owner, which can cause glare and temporarily blind a coming driver or road user due to high beams and excessive brightness. This glare is a significant cause of road accidents in India.

Heavy trucks or car owners modified for used the extra headlight, which is illegal in India, leading to the road accident and death of innocent people, as there is Indian law for

• Fine Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 (Section 177, Motor Vehicles Act)
• Imprisonment: Up to 3 months (Section 177, Motor Vehicles Act)
• Confiscation of vehicle (in extreme cases)
• There is a crucial need for lighting issues on Indian roads for safer driving on the road,, particularly at night. Improving the availability and functionality of streetlights in rural areas and regulating vehicle headlight brightness could significantly reduce road accidents and enhance safety for all road users.

Drive Safe, Stay Safe.