Independent senator calls on cops to dim lights

He called for the LED lighting to be reduced, particularly on the emergency vehicles of the police service.

While trying to improve illumination on emergency vehicles or to make emergency vehicles more conspicuous, he said, “We are also contributing to damage on the roadways.” In his contribution to the continuing debate yesterday in the Senate on the bill to amend the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act, Shrikissoon asked rhetorically, “Have you ever tried to drive behind a police vehicle flashing in front of you and you are afraid to overtake it no matter how slow they are driving because you could be ticketed?” He continued, “It is either you slow down and let the police vehicle go ahead, or you follow close behind and take the blinding lights.” He quoted an American Public University Systems writer who said that research shows a potential for LED lighting to be a distraction specifically as a result of the highly focused and intense light it produces.

Drivers, he said, are distracted by things outside of their vehicles.

He also quoted serving police officers in the United Kingdom who said that new strobe sirens fitted to police cars are so bright, they are blinding motorists and causing accidents.

In terms of digital billboards, Shrikissoon said evidence points to them being distractions on roadways.

They catch the eye and can heighten road safety risks in heavy traffic and in other traffic conditions, he said. Latest research on billboards, particularly digital billboards, and their impact on road safety, he said, shows that drivers tend to take their eyes off the road “for dangerously long gazes” especially when the display changes messages every six to eight seconds.

When driving from north Trinidad to the south, he said, he finds it very distracting when on approaching Chaguanas there is a big digital billboard flashing against a background that is “white light.” These types of billboards, he said, seem to be increasing in popularity as they seem to be profitable. Questioning whether or not they are regulated, he asked Government to look at it.

While the legislature was trying to improve road safety, he said, it also has to create an enabling environment to do so.