Executive Summary:
This document is the response of the Minister of Road Transport and Highways to questions raised in Lok Sabha regarding road accidents, headlight standards, and highway illumination. It clarifies the government's data collection practices, headlight standards, and illumination provisions for National Highways. The response references data from 2018-2022 and mentions Indian Road Congress (IRC) guidelines.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Data Collection and Accident Analysis:**
* The Government publishes a report on Road Accidents in India based on data from States/UTs.
* Road accidents are considered a multicausal phenomenon, resulting from a combination of human error, road/environmental conditions, and vehicle condition.
* The Government does not maintain specific data on road accidents caused by the blinding effect of high-beam headlights.
* Accident data from 2018 to 2022, categorized by the time of day, is provided, including nighttime accidents.
* **Headlight Standards:**
* The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has mandated Automotive Industry Standards (AIS) for headlights.
* Relevant standards include:
* AIS 008:2010: Installation Requirements of Lighting and Light Signalling Devices for Motor Vehicles.
* AIS009: 2001 Rev.3: Installation Requirements for Lighting and Light-signalling Devices for Two and Three-Wheeled Motor Vehicles, and ERickshaw/ECart vehicles, their Trailers and SemiTrailers.
* AIS010 Part 2 Rev.1:2010: Approval of Headlamps emitting Symmetrical Passing Beam or Driving Beam.
* **Highway Illumination:**
* Lighting on National Highways is provided according to Indian Road Congress (IRC) guidelines and Government specifications.
* Illumination is generally provided in built-up areas, toll plazas, truck lay-byes, rest areas, bus bays/shelters, grade-separated structures, interchanges, flyovers, underpasses (vehicular/pedestrian), overpasses, and locations specified in contract/concession agreements.
Impact Analysis:
* **Citizens/Road Users:**
* Impact: Affected by road safety measures, headlight standards, and highway illumination provisions, which influence driving conditions and accident risk.
* Action Required: Be aware of safe driving practices, headlight usage, and report any concerns regarding inadequate highway illumination.
* **Automotive Industry:**
* Impact: Required to adhere to the mandated Automotive Industry Standards (AIS) for headlights.
* Action Required: Ensure compliance with the specified AIS standards for headlight design and installation in vehicles.
* **Government (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways):**
* Impact: Responsible for setting and enforcing standards, collecting accident data, and providing adequate highway illumination.
* Action Required: Continue monitoring accident trends, enforcing headlight standards, and ensuring highway illumination meets the specified guidelines.
* **Road Construction and Maintenance Agencies:**
* Impact: Responsible for implementing highway lighting as per IRC guidelines and government specifications.
* Action Required: Ensure that highway illumination is provided in accordance with the specified guidelines, especially in designated areas.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways: The Indian government ministry responsible for the development and maintenance of road transport infrastructure.
SHRI ASADUDDIN OWAISI: Member of Parliament who posed the unstarred question regarding road accidents due to highbeam headlights.
SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI: The Minister of Road Transport and Highways who provided the answer to the question.
Road Accidents in India: A report published by the Government based on data received from States and Union Territories regarding road accidents.
National Highways: A network of highways spanning across India.
Automotive Industry Standard (AIS): Standards mandated by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways for automotive components, including headlights.
Indian Road Congress (IRC): A professional body of highway engineers in India that provides guidelines and specifications for road construction and maintenance.
States and Union Territories: Refers to the various states and union territories of India from which data on road accidents is collected.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3138
ANSWERED ON 7TH AUGUST, 2025
ROAD ACCIDENTS DUE TO HIGH-BEAM HEADLIGHTS
3138. SHRI ASADUDDIN OWAISI:
Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
सड़क परिवहन औि िाजमार्ग मंत्री
be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government maintains data on road accidents due to
blinding effect of highbeam headlights during night-time driving and if
so, the details thereof;
(b) the number of such accidents reported during the last three years,
State/UT-wise;
(c) whether the Government has laid down any standards for head-
lights in vehicles and if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether the Government is aware of the rising number of night-
time road accidents reported on National Highways in recent years and
if so, the details thereof, including annual data during the last five
years;
(e) whether any assessment has been undertaken regarding lighting
infrastructure on highways and if so, the details thereof; and
(f) the steps being taken to ensure adequate illumination and
visibility on National Highways?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)
(a), (b) and (d) The Government publishes report on “Road Accidents
in India” based on data received from States/ UTs. As per data received
from the States/UTs, road accidents are multi-causal phenomenon and
are the result of interplay of various factors. These can broadly be
categorized into (i) human error, (ii) road condition/environment and (iii)
vehicular condition.
Data on road accidents due to blinding effect of highbeam headlights
during night-time driving is not maintained by the Government.However, as per above-said report, the total number of road accidents
on all categories of roads in the country during calendar year 2018 to
2022 classified according to time of the day including night time is
given in the table below : -
Accidents classified according to Time of Occurrence
Time 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
06-900hrs (Day) 52407 50119 40431 43370 48304
09-1200hrs (Day) 70328 68267 55474 61387 65664
12-1500hrs (Day) 71665 68361 56570 63139 67979
15-1800hrs (Day) 81297 78935 65676 73467 79637
18-2100hrs (Night) 85940 86503 74198 85179 94009
21-2400hrs (Night) 50171 50016 37693 41092 52915
00-300hrs (Night) 26688 24827 18466 19682 23471
03-600hrs (Night) 27537 26527 19782 20120 24152
Unknown Time 4370 3404 3891 4996 5181
Total Accidents 470403 456959 372181 412432 461312
(c) The Government in Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has
mandated the various Automotive Industry Standard (AIS) for head
lights, which inter-alia includes the following :
AIS 008:2010 Installation Requirements of Lighting and Light -
Signalling Devices for Motor Vehicle.
AIS-009: 2001 (Rev.3) : Automotive Vehicles - Installation
Requirements of Lighting and Light-signalling Devices for Two and
Three Wheeled Motor Vehicles, and E-Rickshaw/E-Cart vehicles,
their Trailers and Semi-Trailers.
AIS-010 (Part 2) (Rev.1):2010: Provisions concerning the Approval
of Headlamps emitting a Symmetrical Passing Beam or a Driving
Beam or Both and equipped with Filament Lamps or Gas-
Discharge Light Sources.
(e) and (f) Lighting on the National Highways is provided as per
provisions given in Indian Road Congress (IRC) guidelines and various
manuals/ specifications prescribed by the Government. Generally all
the locations such as built-up section areas, toll plaza areas, truck lay
byes, rest areas, bus bay& bus shelter locations, grade separated
structures, interchanges, flyovers, underpasses (vehicular &
pedestrian), overpasses and any other locations specified in the
contract/ concession agreements read in conjunction with IRC SP 84/87
are illuminated.
*****