Your lights do two jobs: they help you see, and they help everyone else see you and understand what you are about to do. Used badly, they do the opposite: a high beam left on blinds oncoming drivers, a missing brake light hides your stop, and hazard lights flashing while you drive hide your indicators. This article brings together what Indian law says about every light on your vehicle.

India Drive Safe rule:
Lights on from dusk to dawn and whenever it is hard to see. Dip your headlights for oncoming traffic, when following another vehicle and on lit roads. Use fog lamps only in fog, dust or heavy rain, hazard lights only when you are stopped or a hazard ahead, and keep every light clean and working.

What the law says

  • When to use lights: Regulation 31 of the Motor Vehicles (Driving) Regulations, 2017 requires the proper lights at nightfall, at night, at dawn and whenever visibility is poor. Two-wheeler riders must keep the dipped headlight on in the daytime too.
  • Keep them working and clean: every light must work and must not be covered by an object or by dirt (Regulation 31).
  • No driving on parking lights alone, unless a uniformed police officer or authorised person tells you to.
  • High beam: do not use it improperly, for long stretches, or on well-lit roads, and dip it in good time when a vehicle is coming towards you or when you are close behind another vehicle.
  • Fog lamps: only when fog, dust, a storm, rain or snow considerably reduces visibility, and only together with dipped headlights.
  • Tunnels: switch on dipped headlights before you enter a tunnel; inside, do not overtake, make a U-turn, reverse, or stop unless it is absolutely necessary (Regulation 20).
  • breaking these regulations can be fined under Section 177A of the Motor Vehicles Act (₹500 to ₹1,000), and dazzling or dangerous use of lights can be treated more seriously.

Headlights: dipped and high beam

  • dipped beam is your normal night setting in towns and in traffic. It lights the road ahead without blinding others;
  • high beam is for dark, empty roads with no vehicle close ahead or coming towards you. Dip it as soon as you see an oncoming vehicle's lights, before it is close, and when you come up behind another vehicle so you do not dazzle its driver through the mirrors;
  • if an oncoming driver dazzles you, slow down and look towards the left edge of the road, not into the lights. Do not "reply" with your own high beam (Rule 11); and
  • a loaded car can tilt its headlights upwards. Use the headlight-levelling control if your car has one.

Flashing your headlights

In India a flash of the headlights can mean "I am here", "I am coming through" or "go ahead", so it is easily misunderstood. Use a flash only to let others know you are there, never as a signal to go or as a threat, and never assume another driver's flash means it is safe for you to move (see Unmarked junctions).

Indicators, brake lights and reversing lights

  • indicate in good time before you turn, change lanes or pull in or out, and cancel the indicator afterwards (Rule 02);
  • check regularly that both brake lights work: ask someone to stand behind the car, or reverse up to a wall at night and look in the mirror; and
  • reversing lights warn people behind you; never rely on them alone, and look all around before you reverse (Rule 10).

Hazard warning lights

  • use them when your vehicle has broken down or you have had to stop where you are a danger, together with a warning triangle on fast roads (Regulation 28; Rule 12);
  • on a highway you may flash them briefly to warn the drivers behind of a sudden queue or hazard ahead;
  • when towing, the towed vehicle's hazard lights must be on at night and in poor visibility, or the towing vehicle's if they do not work (Regulation 30; Rule 31); and
  • do not drive along with hazards on in fog or rain, and do not use them as an excuse to stop or park where it is not allowed: they hide your indicators and confuse other drivers.

Lights that are not allowed

  • red, blue and other flashing beacons are only for emergency and authorised vehicles (Rule 12);
  • extra decorative lights, coloured headlamps, very bright aftermarket bulbs and lights that flash or point backwards are not approved fittings and can be fined. Fit only lamps approved for your vehicle (Rule 21); and
  • do not cover your lights with stickers, tinted film, guards or luggage (Regulation 31; Rule 31).

Common mistakes

High beam in the city
Not allowed on well-lit roads, and it blinds others.
Not dipping for oncoming traffic
Dip early, before the vehicle is close.
Driving on parking lights
Prohibited. Use dipped headlights.
Hazards on while moving in rain
They hide your indicators. Use dipped headlights.
Fog lamps on in clear weather
Only in seriously reduced visibility.
No lights in a tunnel
Dipped headlights on before you enter.

Remember

Dusk to dawn and poor visibility: lights on → two-wheelers: dipped headlight by day too → dip for oncoming, following and lit roads → fog lamps only in fog, with dipped beam → tunnels: dipped lights, no overtaking → hazards only when stopped or warning of danger → keep every light clean and working.