The Hazard of Poor Illumination
A poorly lit checkpoint on a high-speed corridor is a recipe for disaster. For drivers, the sudden appearance of barricades and personnel in the dark can lead to panicked, last-second braking, increasing the risk of rear-end collisions. For officers on duty,
standing in near-darkness makes them vulnerable to being struck by vehicles that fail to slow down in time. Effective lighting is not a luxury; it is a fundamental safety requirement. Recent guidelines from authorities like the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and state police forces have begun to address this, mandating the use of reflective jackets, LED batons, and better signage, particularly in foggy conditions. However, the implementation remains inconsistent. Proper, glare-free illumination, such as that provided by portable light towers or LED balloon lights, ensures that checkpoints are visible from a safe distance, allowing drivers to reduce speed gradually. It also allows officers to conduct their checks efficiently and safely, without squinting into the darkness or being blinded by the headlights of oncoming traffic.
Basic Dignity: The Case for Washrooms
The absence of basic sanitation facilities at roadside stop-and-check points is an issue of human dignity that affects everyone. Long-haul truck drivers, families traveling with children, and women, in particular, face significant hardship during prolonged stops. In many instances, traffic personnel themselves lack access to clean and safe toilets, forcing them to endure long hours without relief or resort to unhygienic alternatives. This has been a long-standing issue, with studies showing a significant percentage of police stations lacking clean toilet facilities, a problem that extends to temporary setups on highways. Initiatives like Bengaluru's 'Hygiene on Go' mobile toilet units for traffic police are a step in the right direction, acknowledging that providing sanitation is crucial for the well-being and health of personnel. Extending this logic to permanent and temporary checkpoints is essential. Incorporating toilets into the design of wayside amenities, a focus for the NHAI, is a positive development, but these facilities need to be standard at any location where citizens and officials are expected to wait.
The Perilous Merge: Rejoining Highway Traffic
Perhaps the most overlooked danger is what happens after the check is complete. Drivers are often forced to accelerate from a dead stop on the shoulder and merge back into fast-moving highway traffic. This manoeuvre is incredibly risky, especially at night or in areas with poor visibility. Unlike dedicated highway rest stops, these checkpoints rarely have a designated, safe acceleration lane. Vehicles pulling out are often invisible to drivers approaching at high speed until the last moment. This situation is a common cause of accidents, where a slow-moving vehicle re-entering a lane creates a sudden and unavoidable obstacle. On Indian roads, where lane discipline can be unpredictable and tailgating is common, the risk is magnified. Road safety audits, which are becoming mandatory in states like Himachal Pradesh, scrutinise road design elements including intersections and roadside safety features. These audits must be expanded to include the design and operation of police checkpoints, ensuring a safe re-entry path is always part of the plan.
A Blueprint for Safer Roadside Checks
Improving roadside checks is a shared responsibility between law enforcement and road authorities like the NHAI. It requires moving beyond a purely enforcement-based mindset to one that integrates safety engineering into every aspect of the operation. The solution involves establishing clear, national standards for all temporary and permanent checkpoints. These standards, guided by road safety audits, should mandate adequate lighting, sanitation facilities, and a properly designed channel for vehicles to safely exit and re-enter the flow of traffic. Recent NHAI directives empowering field offices to rectify accident-prone spots and improve safety measures are a promising framework. These powers could be used to fund permanent improvements at regular checkpoint locations. Ultimately, a checkpoint should be designed like any other piece of critical road infrastructure—built for safety, efficiency, and respect for the individuals who use it. Investing in these basic facilities is not just about convenience; it's a direct investment in reducing accidents and saving lives.
