Traffic authorities have begun enforcing long-standing road transport laws that had remained largely unimplemented for years, ordering the removal of illegal under-glow and non-standard LED lights from vehicles during a joint enforcement operation in Honiara last week.
The operation, described by officials as one of the first of its kind in recent years, was carried out by a Road Transport Board (RTB) task force involving officers from the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) Traffic Division, the Ministry of Infrastructure Development’s Land Transport Management Service Division (LTMSD), and the Honiara City Council (HCC) Law Enforcement Department.
Although regulations under the Road Transport Act 2009 have long prohibited non-standard vehicle lighting, enforcement had been inconsistent, allowing the widespread use of coloured LED, under-glow and so-called “disco” lights on both public and private vehicles.
Authorities acknowledged that while the laws were already in place, they were not actively applied until the recent operation.
During the enforcement drive, more than 20 vehicles were detained for offences including expired driver’s licences and vehicle registrations. However, illegal lighting modifications were identified as the most common violation.
In a statement issued this week, the RTB said vehicles fitted with non-standard coloured lights were ordered to remove them immediately.
“The use of under-glow lights, extra LEDs and ‘disco’ lights is a frequent offence,” the Board said.
Under the amended regulations, vehicles are required to use factory-installed lighting only, with white and amber lights permitted at the front, red or amber lights at the rear, and white lights for number plates.
“Any other colours are illegal, as they can confuse oncoming drivers, reduce visibility and are reserved for emergency vehicles,” the RTB said.
Authorities noted that officers exercised leniency during the operation, allowing motorists to remove illegal lights on the spot.
“For a start, our team was lenient. This operation serves as a warning to vehicle owners,” the statement said.
The RTB has reminded motorists that traffic laws already exist and must be complied with, warning that future enforcement operations will be stricter, with penalties imposed to improve road safety for all users.
Meanwhile, provincial centres such as Gizo, Noro, Munda and Auki have yet to be covered, with any similar enforcement operations in the provinces dependent on the Road Transport Board (RTB) task force, the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) Traffic Division and the Ministry of Infrastructure Development’s Land Transport Management Service Division (LTMSD) carrying out the exercise at a later date.
By ULUTAH GINA
Solomon Star, Honiara
