Road Safety, Vehicle Lighting and Ghana’s Changing Road Environment

A Call for Evidence-Based Vehicle Lighting Policy in Ghana

Road safety is not only about enforcing laws and regulations. It is also about understanding the changing conditions in which motorists are expected to drive.

I fully support measures to remove dangerous and unauthorised vehicle modifications, especially lighting systems that produce excessive glare and make it difficult for oncoming drivers to see.

However, I believe the current discussion about vehicle lighting in Ghana requires a deeper and more practical examination.

Our roads have changed

Our road environment today is not exactly the same as it was in the past.

Many of the older road surfaces appeared to reflect more light from vehicle headlights. At night, this reflection helped drivers see the road ahead more clearly.

Today, many roads are constructed or resurfaced with darker premix and asphalt materials. These surfaces can absorb a considerable amount of the light from headlights instead of reflecting it back towards the driver. The problem can become even more noticeable at night, particularly on roads without street lighting and during wet weather.

This raises a very important question:

Have the changes in our road surfaces been properly considered when determining what level of vehicle lighting is necessary for safe night driving in Ghana?

Vehicle Technology Has Also Changed

At the same time, vehicle technology has changed considerably.

Vehicle manufacturers have progressively moved from traditional halogen headlights to more advanced lighting technologies, including LED and, in some modern vehicles, laser-based systems.

This change is not simply about appearance. Modern headlamp systems are designed to provide better illumination and more controlled distribution of light when properly engineered and installed.

But we must also recognise that not every LED or high-intensity light installed on a vehicle is safe.

The safety of a headlamp depends on the entire system—its housing, reflector or projector, beam pattern, alignment and intensity.

An improperly installed LED system can create dangerous glare. On the other hand, a properly designed and correctly aligned lighting system can significantly improve a driver’s ability to see the road.

The Question We Should Be Asking

If a vehicle was manufactured with halogen headlights and the owner later installed an additional or upgraded lighting system, the authorities have every right to determine whether that modification meets safety standards.

But before removing such lights, shouldn’t we first ask:

Does the vehicle’s original lighting provide sufficient visibility for safe night driving on Ghana’s present-day roads?

If it does, then enforcement can proceed.

But if it does not, simply removing an additional lighting system without providing a safe and approved alternative could create another road-safety concern.

Therefore, the issue should not simply be “halogen versus LED.”

The real question should be:

What type of lighting gives the driver adequate visibility while ensuring that other road users are not exposed to dangerous glare?

That is the question that deserves scientific and practical investigation.

Research Before Enforcement

I respectfully believe that the relevant authorities should conduct a comprehensive study involving the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA), DVLA, Ghana Standards Authority, Ghana Highway Authority, road engineers, vehicle lighting specialists and other relevant stakeholders.

Such a study should examine:

1. The actual visibility provided by original halogen systems.

2. The performance of properly approved LED systems.

3. The effect of darker road surfaces on night-time visibility.

4. The effect of wet road surfaces on visibility and light reflection.

5. The relationship between headlamp brightness and glare.

6. The importance of correct headlamp alignment and beam pattern.

7. Driver visibility at different speeds and under different weather conditions.

8. Night-time visibility on roads without adequate street lighting.

9. Whether approved LED systems can safely improve lighting on older vehicles.

10. Whether removing additional lighting from certain vehicles could reduce the driver’s ability to see hazards at night.

Safety Must Come First

I do not support the use of lighting systems that genuinely endanger other road users.

A headlamp that blinds an approaching driver can cause a serious accident.

But we must also consider the other side of the problem.

A driver who cannot adequately see pedestrians, potholes, animals, broken-down vehicles, unmarked obstacles or other hazards on a dark road is also facing a serious safety risk.

Road safety must therefore protect both the driver and other road users.

Our goal should be to establish a lighting standard that provides sufficient forward visibility without creating dangerous glare.

A Respectful Appeal to the Authorities

I therefore respectfully call on the relevant authorities to undertake and publish a comprehensive technical assessment of vehicle lighting in Ghana before adopting a blanket approach to upgraded or additional lighting systems.

Ghana’s roads are changing.

Our vehicles are changing.

Vehicle lighting technology is changing.

Our road-safety policies must therefore also evolve with these realities.

Enforcement should be firm, but it must also be fair, practical and evidence-based.

Let us not remove a lighting system simply because it is different from what was originally fitted to the vehicle.

Let us first establish:

Is it dangerous?

Does it improve or reduce visibility?

Does it create dangerous glare?

Does the vehicle’s original lighting provide adequate visibility under Ghana’s present road conditions?

And most importantly:

Is there a safer and approved alternative?

Road safety should never be about winning an argument between technology and regulation.

It should be about finding the safest solution for everyone who uses our roads.

Ultimately, the purpose of every road-safety regulation must be the same:

TO SAVE LIVES.

Rev. Akaba-Kudo Godwin Stello Korbla

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