Global road body IRF for mandatory fog lights in vehicles

Concerned at increasing road accidents due to fog, global road safety body IRF today urged the government to make front and rear fog lights mandatory in all vehicles.
Though, they are especially needed in the fog prone and hilly areas of the country, it is not possible to monitor all vehicles to ensure that only those with fog lights travel to fog prone areas and therefore, it is necessary to provide them in all vehicles, the International Road Federation (IRF) said in a statement.
"The Worldwide research has shown that increased visibility between vehicles reduces crash risk by more than 30 per cent, especially during foggy months of December to February and in the hilly areas. Foggy conditions pose threat to motorists, and a law to make both front and rear fog lights mandatory, could help reduce the risk of road crashes caused by poor visibility. Fog lights are extremely useful during conditions of poor visibility caused by rain, fog, dust or snow," said K K Kapila, Chairman, IRF.

The IRF, which is a Geneva-based organisation, said fog lights and automated vehicle lights that switch on due to poor natural light or fog, or during low-visibility conditions, could reduce the risk of collisions.
Presently, the motorists who want to be safe usually get an after-market front and rear fog lamp fitted on their vehicles, it said.
Such fog lights emit a low beam, angled down at the road's surface preventing diffraction of the light, it said, adding whereas, in the normal headlight the broad beam of such a light passes through the water particles of the fog, reducing visibility for drivers.

"In Europe, the vehicles are fitted with front and rear fog lights as a standard feature for better visibility in fog like conditions. However, installing fog lights will not on its own eliminate the risk of crashes during foggy conditions, various other countermeasures are also needed for providing safer driving environment, by both the government, drivers as well as the civic agencies," Kapila said.

Also the IRF stressed the need for warning signals or mobile weather stations on the road to alert drivers of fog conditions ahead advising them to slow down.
It said there is a technology that can sense fog and activate lights, with dashboard signs to warn motorists to slow down before they get to the foggy area, these dynamic signs can be very effective compared to static signs.

IRF has also stressed on the need for civic agencies to install smart sensor embedded street lights at identified fog trouble spots in city areas and highways to counter fog and save precious human lives, it said.