The monsoon has made driving more hazardous for motorists on the National Highway and Main Central Road.
They find it difficult to spot bicyclists and pedestrians while travelling at relatively high speeds on these stretches. The police said at least five cases of hit-and-run accidents were reported on the highways in the district since the rains began last month. They said ideally, bicyclists and pedestrians should wear reflective raincoats when on the road this season.
Use of high-intensity discharge (HID) xenon headlights on cars and vans were also a cause of night-time accidents. Such lights were standard fitting in some expensive cars and SUVs. But several car accessory dealers offered ‘conversion kits’ to fit ordinary vehicles with such powerful lights. Many motorists, mostly youngsters driving fast cars, kitted out their vehicles with decorative light-emitting diodes and powerful headlamps mounted on the roof for a customised look.
The xenon headlamps, so-called because HID bulbs hold xenon gas, offered enhanced visibility. The bulbs emitted an intense blue-tinted beam (several times more powerful than the yellow-tinged headlights), which temporarily blinded motorists approaching from the opposite lane, the police said.
