Get off high beam, cops are watching

As many as 1,200 motorists were fined in two days in the Capital for driving with the headlights on high beam.

The Delhi Police want drivers to dim down.

HT Image

As many as 1,200 motorists were fined in two days in the Capital for driving with the headlights on high beam.

Though the motor vehicles act doesn’t specify punishment for using the blinding sharp lights while on the wheel, the Delhi Police say it is dangerous.

“It contributes to road accidents and fatalities to a large extent,” said Satyendra Garg, joint commissioner of police (traffic). It wasn’t possible to have figures for the accidents caused by high beam as there was no mechanism in place to register such cases, said the officer.

Each of the 1,200 motorists were fined Rs100. The Delhi Motor Vehicle Rules, 1993, allows police to slap a Rs100 fine for violations for which punishment have not been laid out.

The check — conducted for an hour from 8pm — saw 560 drivers being acted against on Thursday. The next day the figure rose to 645 during the hour-long check. South Delhi saw most violations, followed by north and west Delhi areas.

“Using high beams while driving is dangerous and causes accidents as high beams virtually leave other road-users temporarily blind,” said Garg.