VEHICLE LIGHTS PROMOTE SAFETY

A VEHICLE without lights is unsafe and must not be used on public roads. To be safe on the road, you must be able “to see and to be seen.” Lights make a vehicle visible. Make your vehicle safe by ensuring that all the lights are in good working condition. Most drivers do not know the critical function of vehicle lights. As a result, they use the lights in an unsafe way. I remember one day when I was trying to cross a road during the day, a minibus driver just switched on headlamps at full beam at me without slowing down. Honestly I didn’t know what he was communicating to me. Maybe he was trying to scare me and make me run, I don’t know. Maybe he was trying to say “run or I bash you!” Switching on lights alone without applying breaks will not prevent you from causing accident. Some drivers drive with headlamps at full beam at night without realising that they are causing “temporal blindness” to the oncoming drivers. Even if oncoming drivers flash at them to reduce the light, such drivers stubbornly refuse to adjust their lights since they are not affected. What they forget is that such unsafe driving behaviour puts other drivers at unnecessary risk. Some drive vehicles with defective lights. You find that their vehicles have lights which are broken, damaged or scratched. In certain cases, their vehicles have lights which do not function. Because defective lights do not directly affect their driving, such drivers will not bother to repair or replace the defective lights. For instance, a defective break light will not stop you from driving your vehicle. The vehicle will not refuse to move just because the brake lights are not working. Whether the brake lights are working or not, you can drive and have the same driving experience. The people who will be affected the most by your non-functioning brake lights are other drivers following you because they will not be able to tell when you are slowing down or stopping. Vehicle lights are not for decoration. Each light on the vehicle has a purpose. Vehicles come with a number of lights. These lights have specific functions. Some lights are inside the vehicle and others outside. Inside the vehicle you find lights such as door lights attached to doors which automatically switch on if a particular door is not properly closed. This is to remind you to close the door safely and securely. You will also find the ones attached to the roof which you switch on whenever you want to see things inside the vehicle at night. Besides other functions, all these lights help to maintain vehicle safety. Externally, each vehicle is expected to have, as a minimum, a pair of headlamps in front, taillights at the back, indicators in front and at the back, reverse lights at the back and the brake lights. These lights have specific standards which must be followed. They are expected to have specific colours. Don’t make technical modification to the lights without professional guidance. Modifying the vehicle lights may have safety implications. For example, flash lights with specific colours are reserved for special vehicles such as ambulances, fire trucks and police vehicles. Don’t add flash lights to your vehicle or change colour of lights without professional advice. One day I was shocked when I saw a vehicle with white indicators throughout the vehicle. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Such indicators are misleading and can result in an accident. Sometimes I see vehicles with yellow or blue headlamps. Headlamps with such colours are designed for places where there is snow. Therefore a place like Zambia where we do not have snow, yellow or blue headlamps are not needed. They should be replaced with white ones. As a driver you need to know how to use these lights and the functions they serve. Most importantly you need to know how to interpret the meaning of various lights and the actions you are to take. The main purpose of external vehicle lights is to communicate effectively with other road users. Effective communication on the road promotes road safety. Wrong or lack of proper communication on the road causes confusion resulting in accidents. All lights inside the vehicle are meant for you the driver. None of them is for other road users. Unlike indicators, the door lights have no use to other drivers. They are only useful to you the driver who is at risk of being thrown outside the vehicle because of a loose door. When it comes to external vehicle lights, it’s different. Majority of the external vehicle lights are meant for other road users, not you. With the exception of headlamps and reverse lights which have dual functions, the rest of external vehicle lights are meant for other road users especially other drivers. When you fully understand this principle, then you will pay attention to the condition of the lights of your vehicle. Driving a vehicle with defective lights will not only put you at risk but also other road users. Vehicle lights help to communicate your driving intentions to other road users. When approaching a T-junction, you as a driver know very well which direction you will take. Other drivers will not know. They can’t guess your thoughts or predict your actions. The only way they will know is when you signal using your indicators where you intend to turn. Now imagine if your indicator is not working, who will be affected the most? It’s not you but other road users. As for you, whether indicators are working or not, you know where to turn. You can turn regardless of the condition of the indicators. If you care about other road users, ensure that all your external vehicle lights are in good working condition. In short my point is that external lights are put on your vehicle to ensure effective communication among road users to promote road safety. You have a responsibility to ensure that your vehicle has right lights in good working condition and used correctly. Let’s look at each of the basic external vehicle lights. The first ones are headlamps. Each vehicle is expected to have two white headlamps in front. They must operate at both low and high beam. Headlamps have dual functions. On one hand they help you the driver to see at night or in bad weather. Headlamps make things visible at night. On the other hand, headlamps help other road users to see your vehicle. It is easier to see the headlamps before seeing the vehicle itself. Headlamps are also used to warn other road users during as a funeral procession. Some drivers use headlamps to greet each other. It’s unsafe to drive a vehicle at night which has headlamps which are not working. So ensure both headlamps are in good working condition. Avoid driving a vehicle with only one headlamp working. Repair or replace damaged headlamps. Avoid using broken or cracked headlamps because they allow moisture and dust to enter inside. This may negatively affect the illumination and increase the glare to other drivers. Clean the headlamps regularly. Ensure that headlamps are aligned properly. Misaligned headlights shine where they may not help you. If other drivers keep on flashing at you, it means your headlamps are causing glare at them. Learn to adjust the headlamps accordingly. Headlights must be switched on from sunset to sunrise and during bad weather such as during fog or rain. The second ones are taillights. Each vehicle is expected to have two red taillights at the back. Taillights are red in colour to signify danger. This is to caution the vehicle following you to be extra careful to avoid hitting into your vehicle. In safety, red colour means danger. The taillights do not make things visible. Their main purpose is not to make things visible but rather to show that there is a vehicle in front. They communicate to the driver following behind that there is a vehicle in front heading in the same direction. Care and maintenance of taillights is similar to the headlamps. Ensure that they are in good working condition. Replace or repair damaged ones. Clean them regularly. The third ones are indicators. Every vehicle must possess two amber indicators in front and two amber indicators at the back. Amber colour in safety means warning or caution. So the indicators have amber colour to convey warning signal. The main purpose of indicators is to show where you intend to turn. Signal with indicators whenever you want to join or leave the road. You should also signal with indicators when you want to change lanes and when approaching the T-junction, cross roads and roundabouts. While headlamps and taillights are usually used at night, the indicators are used at all times, day or night. Therefore it’s extremely important to ensure that they are in good working condition at all times. The fourth ones are reverse lights. Every vehicle is expected to have two white reverse lights at the back. Reverse lights work like headlamps. They help the driver to see behind when reversing. Reverse lights switch on automatically whenever the reverse gear is engaged whether it’s during day or at night. Whenever the reverse lights turn on, it means the vehicle is about to start reversing. The last ones are brake lights. Each vehicle is expected to have two red brake lights at the back. The difference between the red taillights and the red brake lights is that brake lights are brighter than taillights. Brake lights switch on automatically whenever the brake pedal is pressed whether it’s during day or at night. Brake lights show that the vehicle is slowing down or stopping. This helps the driver following behind you to react accordingly thereby avoiding bashing into your vehicle. Vehicle lights are important to ensure vehicle safety. Their effectiveness depends on the fact that they are kept in good working condition and that they are operated correctly. Not all types of vehicle lights have mentioned in this article. Vehicles have many types of lights. Take time to learn about the various types of lights especially those found on your vehicle. Do not add unnecessary lights to your vehicle. Each light must have a purpose. Yes, lights may add beauty to your vehicle. But beautifying your vehicle with lights must not compromise safety. For the sake of your own safety and the safety of other road users, ensure that all external vehicle lights are working, used correctly and maintained well. Don’t just use lights, use the lights safely. Until next week, stay safe. Zambia needs you. *The author is the CEO of SafetyFocus, a safety company committed to providing safety trainings, consultancy and supplying of safety products. For your comments, contact the author on cell +260 975 255770 or email: marksucceed@gmail.com Mark Kunda—Safety Consultant