Hyderabad: Flashing lights daze drivers

Hyderabad: Advertising boards with bright LED lights installed by commercial stores have no permission from the GHMC. Some of these causing too much distraction were removed by the GHMC Ameerpet circle. Many educational institutions too set up boards at the entrance or building wall which falls under free publicity.

Flashy bright lights  cause distraction to commuters. Retired IFS officer Mr. Padmanabha Reddy says, “Bright lights cause blackout for a few seconds, I reduce the speed till the shop is  crossed. The  street lights should be more powerful than shopping lights. Also  most of us drive with full beam headlights. Vehicles coming from the opposite direction shoot out a  sharp light to the opposite driver that also causes blackouts. The government had passed an order earlier that headlights should be half painted or half covered so the light falls  on the road and not on the driver. That is now over”

Taxi driver  Mohammad Imran from Dilshuknagar said, “concentration is lost when my eye catches a super bright beam. It takes me a few seconds to return to normal vision. If I apply brakes, there is high possibility of vehicles dashing from behind.”  

Advertisements  for food items, garments, discount offers, celebrities and famous faces  endorsing products, too, distract drivers.

“Even on bridges there are massive hoardings and unipoles with flashy lights. It  is natural for an individual to look up while driving/riding. Problem arises when the commuter at high speed gets distracted. It is universally acknowledged that a driver takes two seconds to get in control after being distracted. In these two seconds, however, there is  high possibility of the vehicle either dashing into someone or  into the road-divider”, added Ms. Samiti Mishra of Somajiguda
While  opthamologist says that is a glare issue that commuter face, Dr. Manoj Chandra  Mathur, opthamologist explains, “ with flashy light one does not really get blind but it is an issue with the glare . when a human eye gets in contact with a high or bright beam a photo reaction occurs, the sensory system of the retina get suppressed, eye would need a rest of 10-20 seconds . It is similar to shifting from a bright place into a dark theater .”

The expert suggested, that one should not look directly to the bright beam , don’t stare  at these advertisements when one is at a move or look directly at the opposite vehicle coming with a high beam .

Use of photochromic glass or lens can help to an extent. It is better for the commuters to use the dimmer and wait  for the opposite vehicle to pass and then go ahead .