High beams leaving pedestrians blinded

Motorists have long complained about the dangers of blinding high beams, but pedestrians say they too are being put at risk, warning that the glaring lights are making it increasingly hazardous to walk at night.

Standing at a bus stop in the Corporate Area, one frustrated pedestrian told THE STAR that the bright headlights often make it nearly impossible to judge traffic while trying to cross the road.

"Dem can dim the light, people can't see which part fi put dem foot," she said, squinting to make out oncoming vehicles.

"Yuh can't see how far dem reach, yuh nuh know if dem a come fast or slow and dem naa stop fi yuh pass," she added, hissing her teeth in annoyance.

Another pedestrian said the problem is not confined to late-night travel but also affects those on the road during the early-morning rush.

She recalled waiting for a taxi around 5:30 a.m. to head to work when the glare from vehicle headlights made it difficult to see approaching traffic.

"This morning mi did have fi turn mi face from the road how the man dem a try blind mi. There is no consideration for pedestrians," she said. "Mi can barely see if a car or bus a come once those lights are on. Mi think dem can dim the lights especially in the mornings."

In downtown Kingston, however, one man said the issue does not trouble him as much, explaining that the lights can sometimes help him navigate dark streets.

"Mi just stop and wait because sometimes mi need the light fi see weh mi a go, especially if dem a come from behind mi," he said.

But after reflecting further, he suggested that the real problem extends beyond high beams to poor street lighting in several areas.

"The lack of street light is the problem because remember light cancel light. So when the area dark and the car a come now yuh can't see. Also when it's approaching yuh, that glare in yuh face can be hard," he explained, stressing that inadequate street lighting contributes significantly to the problem.

Superintendent Winchester Watson of the Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch of the Jamaica Constabulary Force said that historically, complaints about high beams have mainly come from motorists rather than pedestrians.

"I have never received a complaint from a pedestrian. It's always a motorist complaining about oncoming traffic who refuse to dim the light or use excess lights or additional lights not made with the vehicle, some of which can be extremely dazzling," he said.

He pointed to the Road Traffic Regulations Act, which states: "A person operating a motor vehicle on a road shall extinguish the high beam of the light emitted by the headlamp of the motor vehicle where the high beam could cause a glare that presents danger to oncoming traffic or to traffic driving in front of the person in the same direction."

Watson noted that the regulation is primarily designed to protect other motorists rather than pedestrians.

"A pedestrian can change his or her direction easily. It may be more difficult for a driver to do that, so I guess the makers of the law considered drivers and not pedestrians," he said.

"But I do understand that a flash of light could hit you as a pedestrian and create discomfort."

Still, he suggested that pedestrians can sometimes adjust their position to lessen the impact of the glare.