Kerala High Court seeks action on illegal vehicle modifications posing road safety risks

The Kerala High Court has directed the State Transport Commissioner and the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) to respond on the issue of unauthorised alterations to vehicles, including the installation of extra lights, oversized wheels, and illegal exhaust systems. A Division Bench of Justice Anil K. Narendran and Justice Muralee Krishna S. made the observations on Tuesday after viewing multiple videos in open court showing vehicles fitted with additional lights, including strobe lights meant only for emergency vehicles.

The court noted that such modifications are being carried out by vloggers and shared online, with the concerned agencies failing to take action despite the safety hazards posed to other road users and pedestrians. In one video, a diesel car was shown with a retrofitted petrol tank in its boot space, emitting flames from its exhaust.

Referring to a recent accident in Kannur that claimed the lives of five young car passengers, the court cited media reports suggesting that the driver may have been temporarily blinded by the high beam of an oncoming vehicle. The court emphasised that insurance firms could deny claims based on high beam misuse, and that vulnerable road users like two-wheeler and bicycle riders are particularly at risk. The court stressed that merely settling insurance claims is insufficient; a thorough probe into each accident's cause is necessary.

The court also took exception to vehicles fitted with oversized wheels that protrude beyond the wheel arches, increasing the vehicle's width and endangering two-wheeler riders, pedestrians, and oncoming traffic. The bench sought instructions from the transport authorities to address these violations and ensure road safety.