Ban on the use of bright white headlamps in motor vehicles sought

**Monseratto** · May 16th, 2011 01:56 PM

Good luck...

http://congress.gov.ph/press/details.php?pressid=5090

15 May 2011 10:02:37 AM
Writer: Lorelei V. Castillo, MRS-PRIB

A lawmaker has moved to prohibit the use and installation of bright white headlights or headlamps in motor vehicles to reduce the cases of road accidents and enhance road safety and convenience.

Rep. Neri Javier Colmenares (Party-list, Bayan Muna), Vice Chairman of the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms, filed House Bill 3769 to be known as "An Act Prohibiting the Use of High Intensity Discharge (HID) Headlamps."

Colmenares said the use of HID or Xenon headlamps cause inconvenience to the drivers or passengers of other vehicles due to the excessive glare coming from these headlamps.

"Many countries have prohibited or regulated the use of these headlamps precisely in response to the threat to road safety posed by its use," Colmenares said.

Colmenares cited 2008 statistics of the Department of Health (DOH), which listed road accident as the fourth leading cause of death in the country.

According to the DOH statistics, road accidents usually happen at night or in dim environment where there is poor visibility. In these instances, vehicles use their headlights or headlamps to provide visibility.

Colmenares said the measure addresses the problem of threat to road safety posed by the use of non-standard headlights, particularly bright and glaring white lights by vehicles that use HID or high intensity discharge headlamps.

"The use of these HID headlamps in vehicles, including refitting of tungsten-halogen headlamps to HID headlamps, is not in consonance with traffic safety standards," Colmenares said.

Colmenares said the HID headlamp produces excessively bright white lights and the glare can distract drivers of approaching vehicles which may result in serious accidents endangering other vehicles and pedestrians.

Under the bill, any person or entity selling motor vehicles caught selling the prohibited item shall be fined P100,000 for every sale of a vehicle fitted with the headlamp. The registered car owner and the person driving a motor vehicle installed with or using the prohibited HID headlamp shall each be fined with P10,000.

**niky** · May 16th, 2011 02:10 PM

They should simply enact a law mandating the use of light cut-offs for all HIDs and a maximum allowable lumens in scatter above the cut-off.

Of course, this being the Philippines, the bill will go nowhere, because the lawmakers don't know enough about automotive technology...

**shakatak70** · May 16th, 2011 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by Monseratto

Good luck...

http://congress.gov.ph/press/details.php?pressid=5090

teka baka yung sasakyan ni Colmenares at yung sa kanyang mga kamag-anakan ay naka HID. Linis bakod muna bago yung sa iba.

**ghosthunter** · May 16th, 2011 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by niky

They should simply enact a law mandating the use of light cut-offs for all HIDs and a maximum allowable lumens in scatter above the cut-off.

Of course, this being the Philippines, the bill will go nowhere, because the lawmakers don't know enough about automotive technology...

Vote NIKY for TSIKOT partylist!!!

.

**Ry_Tower** · May 16th, 2011 07:11 PM

Originally Posted by ghosthunter

Vote NIKY for TSIKOT partylist!!!

.

Yan surely boboto ako!

**renzo_d10** · May 16th, 2011 07:32 PM

& how will they differentiate again on whats bright and whats okay ? :hysterical:

**Ry_Tower** · May 16th, 2011 07:55 PM

Originally Posted by renzo_d10

& how will they differentiate again on whats bright and whats okay ? :hysterical:

Let me guess..

based on law-mens?

**rattrapante** · May 17th, 2011 02:03 AM

Does this also mean that cars that come standard with HID are also banned? There seems to be no note on factory OEM hid headlights. What about driving lights or fog lights that are HID, are they ok? Since the law only prohibits HID from headlamps.

Many install brighter lights to compensate for the lack of lighting in many steets in the Philippines, I think that is what they should be tackling instead of the tax paying drivers and their automobiles.

This seems to be another reason for traffic enforcers to get "KOTONG".

**Stoner** · May 17th, 2011 12:21 PM

Lawmaker simply isn't thinking this through. Basta ipagbawal lang, since meron nag complain. Either that or he encountered an d-bag with non-projected HID's and got pissed. That's it.

On another note, I'm still waiting for a President that'll really put straight the chaotic situation in our roads today. Personal belief of mine that by implementing an iron hand on the enforcement of traffic and street rules, it'll instill discipline and perhaps have a domino effect on our culture.

Easier said than done, I know.