Lok Sabha Question No. 2609 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-16
Subject: Road Accidents due to High Beam Lights
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: Pratibha Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2609

ANSWERED ON 16 TH  MARCH, 2023

## ROAD ACCIDENTS DUE TO HIGH BEAM LIGHTS

2609. SHRIMATI PRATIBHA SINGH:

## Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री

be pleased to state:

- (a)       whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  increased  road  accidents  on National Highways at night due to the use of high-beam lights and if so, the details thereof along with the percentage of accidents caused as a result thereof;
- (b)     the total number of such fatalities along with the penalties imposed on violators during the last three years, State/UT-wise;
- (c)     the steps being taken by the Government to prevent such fatalities and spread awareness about the hazards of high-beam lights;
- (d)     whether the Government has drawn any plan to deal with this issue especially in narrow road/ hilly areas and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e)     the details of funds allocated for improving existing road conditions and safety in Himachal Pradesh during the last three years and the current year?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

(a) to (d)     Ministry of Road Transport and Highways collects and compiles the road accident data from police department of all States/UTs. Accordingly, Ministry brings out annual publication 'Road Accident in India' providing  data/Information  on  various  facets  of  road  accidents  in  the Country.  However,  Ministry  does  not  collect  and  compile  information  on road accidents occurred due to use of high beam light. Further, as per Para 11.2.1 of IRC SP 21: Guidelines on Landscaping and Tree Plantation, one of the objectives of planting on highways is the prevention of glare from the headlights  of  incoming  vehicles.  Also,  as  per  para  6.14.2.  of  IRC  SP  44-

Highway Safety Code, guidelines have been provided regarding use of high beam lights to reduce the night accident danger in following ways:

- (i)       Always  dip  your  headlights  when  meeting  other  vehicles.  A  driver blinded by your high beam headlights may sidewipe your car.
- (ii)      Depress  your headlights when following another vehicle. The glare caused by your lights shining in his rear-view mirror can reduce his vision and cause an accident.
- (iii)    When overtaking, keep your lights on low beam. If on-coming vehicles are still on high beam, blink your lights up and down as a signal. If he does not lower his lights in time, do not retaliate.

Further, Ministry has formulated a multi-pronged strategy to address the issue of road safety based on Education, Engineering (both of roads and vehicles), Enforcement and Emergency Care. Accordingly, various initiatives have been taken by the Ministry as detailed below: -

- (1)        Education:
- i.        To  create  effective  public  awareness  about  road  safety,  Ministry undertakes  various  publicity  measures  and  awareness  campaigns through  social  media,  electronic  media  and  print  media.  Further, Ministry  implements  a  scheme  to  provide  financial  assistance  to various agencies for administering Road Safety Advocacy.
- ii.          Observance  of  National  Road  Safety  Month/Week  every  year  for spreading awareness and strengthening road safety.
- iii.      A Certification Course for Road Safety Auditor has been mandated for technical officers of all road owning agencies under the Ministry up to the level of Superintending Engineer or equivalent.
- iv.      To impart driving training, Ministry has been implementing a scheme for  setting  up  of  Institute  of  Driving  Training  &  Research  (IDTRs), Regional Driving Training Centres (RDTCs) and Driving Training Centres (DTCs) at state/district level across the Country.
- (2)     Engineering (both of Roads and vehicles)
7. 2.1.    Road engineering:
- i.        Road safety has been made an integral part of road design at planning stage. Road Safety Audit (RSA) of all highway projects has been made mandatory at all stages.
- ii.         Road  Safety  Audit  (RSA)  of  all  National  Highways  (NHs)  has  been made mandatory through third party auditors/ experts at all stages i.e. design, construction, operation and maintenance etc.
- iii.        High  priority  to  identification and  rectification  of  black  spots /accident spots on National Highways.
- iv.        Road  Safety  Officer  (RSO)  has  been  designated  at  each  Regional Office of road owning agencies under the Ministry to look after RSA, blackspot rectification and other road safety related works.
- v.       Five stretches of NH having higher number of accidents/blackspots are being developed as Model Safe Roads under each regional office of all road owning agencies under the Ministry.
- vi.        Five  project  stretches  under  construction  are  being  developed  as Model Safe Construction Zones under each regional office of all road owning agencies under the Ministry.
- vii.       The  electronic  Detailed  Accident  Report  (e-DAR)  Project  has  been initiated to establish a central repository for reporting, management and analysis of road accidents data across the Country.
- viii.      Ministry  and  IRC  has  issued  various  codes and guidelines, time to time,  to  implement  various  road  safety  measures  so  as  to  minimize accidents on National Highways.
16. 2.2     Vehicle engineering:
- i.        The Ministry has notified regarding mandatory provision of an airbag for  the  passenger seated on the front seat of a vehicle, next to the driver.
- ii.         This  Ministry,  vide  notification  dated  15th February,  2022  has prescribed norms related to safety measures for children below four years  of  age,  riding  or  being  carried  on  a  motor  cycle.  Further,  it specifies use of a safety harness, crash helmet and restricts speed to 40kmph.
- iii.      Ministry has notified the mandatory fitment of following listed safety technologies from 01st July 2019.

For M1 category vehicles:

- a. Seat Belt Reminder (SBR) for driver and co-driver.
- b. Manual Override for central locking system
- c. Over speed warning system.

## For all M and N category vehicles:

- a. Reverse Parking Alert System
- iv.    The Ministry has mandated Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) for certain classes of L [Motor vehicle with less than four wheels and includes a Quadricycle],  M  [Motor  vehicles  with  at  least  four  wheels  used  for carrying passengers] and N [Motor vehicles with at least four wheels used for carrying goods which may also carry persons in addition to goods, subject to conditions stipulated in BIS standards] categories.
- v.         This  Ministry  has  mandated  approval  of  vehicles  for  protection  of occupants in the event of an Offset Frontal Collision, for requirements for  behavior  of  steering  mechanism  of  the  vehicle  in  a  Head-on collision, Protection of Occupants in the event of Lateral Collision and for approval of vehicles with regard to protection of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users in the event of a collision with a motor vehicle.
- vi.        The  Ministry  has  mandated  speed  limiting  function/speed  limiting device  in  all  transport  vehicles,  except  for  two  wheelers,  three wheelers, quadricycles, fire tenders, ambulances and police vehicles.
- vii.   This Ministry has mandated compliance of the fully built buses (with a seating  capacity  of 22  passengers  or  above,  excluding  driver), manufactured on and after 1st April 2019, with the requirements of Fire Detection, Alarm and Suppression system. Further, compliance of type III  buses  of  category  M3  and  school  buses  with  fire  alarm  and protection system in occupant compartment has also been mandated, on and after 26th January 2023.
- viii. The Ministry has prescribed the format in which vehicle manufacturers issue the Road Worthiness Certification for registering
7. motor vehicles.
- ix.   Scheme for setting up one model Inspection & Certification Centre in each  State/UT  with  Central  assistance  for  testing  the  fitness  of vehicles through an automated system.
- x.       Ministry vide Notifications GSR 652 (E) dated 23 rd  September, 2021 published the rules for recognition, regulation and control of Automated Testing Stations.
- xi.        Notification  vide  GSR  272(E)  dated  05 th  April.  2022,  provides  for mandatory  fitness  of  vehicles  only  through  an  Automated  Testing

Stations. It mandates the fitness check of Heavy Goods Vehicles/Heavy  Passenger  Motor  Vehicles  only  through  automated testing  stations  with  effect  from  01st  April  2023  onwards,  and  for Medium Goods Vehicles/Medium Passenger Motor Vehicles and Light Motor vehicles (Transport) with effect from 01st June 2024 onwards.

- xii.       Ministry  has  formulated  the  Vehicle  Scrapping  Policy  based  on incentives/dis-incentives and for creating an ecosystem to phase out older, unfit polluting vehicles.
- (3)        Enforcement:
- i.        The  Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 as stands implemented provides for strict penalties for  ensuring  compliance  and  enhancing deterrence for violation of traffic rules and strict enforcement through use of technology.
- ii.     Ministry has issued notification G.S.R. 575(E) dated 11th August, 2021 for Electronic Monitoring and Enforcement of Road Safety. The rules specify the detailed provisions for placement of electronic enforcement devices (speed camera, closed-circuit television camera, speed  gun,  body  wearable  camera,  dashboard  camera,  Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), weigh in machine (WIM) and any such other technology specified by the State Government).
- (4)        Emergency care:
- i.      Ministry has published rules vide GSR 594(E) dated 29.09.2020 for the protection  of  Good  Samaritan,  who  in  good  faith,  voluntarily  and without expectation of any reward or compensation renders emergency medical or nonmedical care or assistance at the scene of an accident to the victim or transports such victim to the hospital.
- ii.      Ministry  vide  notification  dated  25 th  February,  2022  has  enhanced compensation  of  victims  of  Hit  and  Run  motor  accidents  (from  Rs. 12,500  to  Rs.  50,000  for  grievous  hurt  and  from  Rs.  25,000  to  Rs. 2,00,000 for death).
- iii.     The  National  Highways  Authority  of  India  has  made  provisions  for ambulances with paramedical staff/Emergency Medical Technician/Nurse at toll plazas on the completed corridor of National Highways.

(e)      The  details  of  allocated  funds  to  Himachal  Pradesh  for  improving existing road conditions and safety during the last four Financial Year i.e. 2019 to 2023 by the Ministry are as under : -

| Financial Year   |   Fund allocated (in Crore) |
|------------------|-----------------------------|
| 2019-20          |                       98.77 |
| 2020-21          |                      181.36 |
| 2021-22          |                      747.59 |
| 2022-23          |                      882.9  |

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