Kerala HC seeks response from Transport Commissioner, MoRTH on illegal vehicle modifications posing risks

The Kerala High Court has sought instructions from the State’s Transport Commissioner and the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) on the continuing unauthorised alteration of vehicles by installing lights, oversized wheels and illegal exhaust systems.

While many such lights within vehicles could distract the driver — as could have occurred in the Valparai van accident — there are increasing number of instances where lights of even emergency vehicles are illegally retrofitted on other vehicles.

A Division Bench of Justice Anil K. Narendran and Justice Muralee Krishna S. made the observations on Tuesday, after viewing in open court multiple videos of vehicles illegally fitted with additional lights, including strobe lights that are permitted only for emergency vehicles. This is being done by vloggers as well, who then post such videos online. The agencies concerned are not taking action, despite the safety implications on other road users, including on pedestrians.

In one such video that was shown, a diesel car was retrofitted with a petrol tank in its boot space, while flames emitted from its exhaust.

Referring to a recent accident in Kannur that claimed the life of five young car passengers, the court spoke of media reports that hinted that the driver would in all probability have been temporarily blinded by the powerful high beam of an oncoming car. No action was taken, although insurance firms could even cite the high beam use by the driver of the other car as a reason for denying insurance claims. Particularly vulnerable to high beam misuse are two-wheeler and bicycle riders. Settling insurance claims is not enough, and the agencies concerned must conduct a probe into the cause of each accident, the court added.

The court also took objection to cars and other vehicles being illegally fitted with over-sized wheels that protrude out of the wheel arches. This (extra width of the vehicle) puts at risk two-wheeler riders, pedestrians and even vehicles coming from the opposite side.