If you drive a vehicle regularly in India, then you must have seen somewhere or even heard of some case where someone got into trouble because of fog lamps, right? But it is not what you think, you see, fog lamps are legal in India. The problem is with the use of these lamps in the wrong way because there are a few rules to follow when installing these fog lamps. So, let’s get to just that.
First Of All, Why Do People Even Use Fog Lamps?
You see, a fog lamp is different from a headlight which is a type of standard lamp focused on the road far ahead. Fog lamps are usually placed at a lower level, yes, lower than the headlights of the vehicle itself. The advantage is that they will not reflect fog, rain, or general reflections off the road surface, which means that there is no glare and an accurate view of the road can be provided in conditions of poor visibility, also called foggy conditions. And if you have ever driven a car or any vehicle for that matter, in a foggy condition, you’d know what we are talking about and why using just the headlights of the vehicles can be so risky. In literally every part of India, there are so many accidents because of foggy conditions, and that too every single year.
Fog lamps are particularly useful because they help the driver to see the road better and at the same time they help other people to see the vehicle better thus reducing the chance of an accident. However, it is important to remember that fog lamps replace the car’s regular headlights, so yes, they are like a second pair of eyes that only should be used when there is like, no sun at all.
So, What Are The Specific Laws And Rules For Fog Lamps in India?
In India, fog lamps are governed by the Motor Vehicles Act and the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, which are there to specifically outline the exact guidelines for their installation and use of this kind of lights on vehicles, like how many fog lamps can be on one vehicle, the height of these lamps, and things like that. Not just that though, one and surely super important regulation is regarding the color of the fog lamps, which should emit amber light. Amber is the color of choice for penetrating fog and minimal glare, so yes, there is science behind it.
In addition, the fog lamp’s placement is also being controlled to avoid impairing other road users’ vision. Fog lamps must legally be placed under the headlights of a car, which is a basic safety requirement in order to avoid blinding the drivers of oncoming cars, you know? You must understand that fog lamps are only meant to be used when visibility conditions dictate their use, such as fog, heavy rain, or snow. So, let’s say you are caught using fog lamps when there are absolutely clear weather conditions, well, you might be charged with a fine if traffic police see you using these lamps in such a way.
