SHILLONG, July 15: Reckless use of high beam headlights has become an everyday hazard on Meghalaya’s roads, with countless drivers disregarding basic traffic norms and endangering lives.
The issue, already widespread, is now made worse by a growing trend of unauthorised aftermarket light installations illegal, excessively bright, and dangerously misused.
Across Shillong and other parts of the state, vehicles routinely drive through populated areas and city streets with high beams on, despite the presence of street lighting and oncoming traffic. This practice, which is explicitly prohibited under the Motor Vehicles Act, creates intense glare that blinds other drivers and pedestrians, increasing the risk of head-on collisions and road mishaps.
The problem escalates further with the rise in aftermarket modifications. Vehicles private cars, SUVs, and even commercial carriers are increasingly seen fitted with high-powered LED bars, roof-mounted beams, and auxiliary fog lamps that emit far more light than legally permitted. These unauthorised additions are often misaligned and poorly installed, causing even greater visual obstruction.
The situation is no longer just a matter of indiscipline, it has become a public safety threat. And yet, authorities seem largely absent from the scene. Traffic enforcement appears sporadic at best, with little action taken against violators who openly flout lighting norms in plain sight.
Questions of regular vehicle checks, modified lights operating freely on public roads, and no consistent awareness drive or penalty mechanism are for the transport and enforcement machinery tasked with ensuring road safety as well as drivers who also carry a responsibility. Despite the existence of laws, what is lacking is visibility — both of accountability and sustained action.
Meanwhile, the public bears the brunt. Two-wheeler riders and pedestrians are often left struggling to navigate through glaring headlights. On sharp turns, foggy hill routes, or rain-slicked roads, a blinding beam from an oncoming vehicle can spell disaster.
In a state where geography and weather already pose driving challenges, this pattern of disregard both from citizens and officials has pushed road safety into a dangerous blind spot.
Until both awareness and enforcement catch up, the question remains unanswered: how many near misses or fatal accidents will it take before lights on the road are used with responsibility, not recklessness?
