Grozny drivers consider raids against xenon headlights fair.

Security officials stopping cars in Chechnya to check headlights make no exceptions and force all drivers to remove xenon headlights on the spot, warning them that reinstalling them will result in their license being revoked. Drivers considered this approach justified, provided the law is applied equally.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," police are confiscating LED headlights from drivers on the roads of Chechnya. Commentators on social media debated the legality of these roadside raids: supporters of LED headlights insist that in some cases they help see what's happening on the road, while opponents point to the increased risk of accidents. Sergei Kanayev, head of the Russian Federation of Motorists, confirmed that using such headlights increases the risk of accidents. He believes that security forces' raids in Chechnya indicate the widespread use of home-made xenon lamps in Chechnya, which are not used by car manufacturers.

During headlight inspections, security forces immediately remove xenon lamps if they find them, Grozny drivers told the "Caucasian Knot." The first time, police officers issue a fine, warning of the risk of losing their license if they violate the law again.

"I was stopped during the day at the entrance to Grozny, at a checkpoint of the 2nd battalion of the traffic police regiment. I immediately realized I'd been fined. There were about eight cars parked on the side of the road, all with their hoods open, and inspectors were checking the headlights. One of them approached me and said they were checking the headlights. "I shone a flashlight into my headlight and realized I had xenon headlights," said Grozny resident Akhmed Magomedov.

Although the driver made the inspector laugh with his joke, he still had to pay the fine. "I told him, 'I have the factory ones,' and we had a good laugh because my Gazelle is old. They removed my instruments, fined me 500 rubles, and wished me a safe trip. They stop everyone harshly, there are no exceptions," he noted.

Ruslan, a resident of Grozny, also had to part with his xenon headlights. "During the day, at the intersection near Grozny-City, I ran into a cordon. There was a continuous check, they were stopping all the cars. Only those with standard headlights were quickly let through. I joined a line of ten cars with open hoods, all of them had problems with the lights. The inspector came over, checked my documents, and immediately said the headlights were xenon. I tried to justify myself by saying the previous owner had installed them, but I wasn't the only one trying to get out of it. They made me take them off," Ruslan told the Caucasian Knot. Reinstalling xenon headlights could result in the loss of my license, the police warned him. "They warned me right away that if I put xenon headlights back on, they could revoke my license. They said they're very strict now, and they don't forgive anyone. Honestly, that's the right thing to do. All domestic cars have xenon headlights, and they're very blinding. I installed them on my Priora myself, because everyone else had them," the driver admitted.

Zelimkhan, a resident of Chechnya, also welcomes the fight against xenon headlights, provided the law is mandatory for everyone.

"This is a real and serious problem for drivers: at night, every other car blinds you, so you're driving straight ahead and can't see the road. That's why I'm all for it—when I was pulled over, I immediately said yes, I have xenon headlights, and I'll remove them myself. But I asked the inspectors to force everyone to remove them and not use them anymore. But if nothing changes on the roads in a month, I'll put xenon headlights back on myself," he told the Caucasian Knot.

According to traffic police, cars with xenon headlights will now be unable to pass vehicle inspection. "They say the rules have been tightened, and they'll check what kind of headlights you have during vehicle inspections." "If you have xenon headlights without an automatic leveling system, you won't pass the inspection. I was fined 500 rubles and asked not to violate the rules again," he said.

Headlight replacement has become a popular service in Chechnya

Auto electrician Abdul-Malik told the "Caucasian Knot" that he hasn't had a minute to spare over the past five days—drivers are flocking to him to have their headlights replaced.

"I change headlights all the time. The first two days, everyone thought it was nothing serious and that no one would get fined, but then everyone realized it was serious. Everyone changes their headlights with me so they don't have to do it on the highway, in a line of ten cars," he said.

According to him, only factory xenon headlights with automatic leveling systems are exempt from the ban. "The problem is that they install xenon headlights without adjusting or correcting them; they blind everyone. If you approach the matter wisely, the xenon lights won't blind you. But it's too late now; all cars that don't have factory xenon headlights can't have them installed, even if they have a corrector," he pointed out.

Another auto electrician confirmed that the volume of customers seeking headlight replacement is extremely high. "I'm running out of time; I have to turn them down; we schedule them a day in advance. On the one hand, it's good; there's a lot of work, but on the other, it's a shame to throw away so much xenon. And we'll have so much inventory left in the store that no one will buy it." "We're getting replacement headlights from neighboring regions; we didn't have enough to replace them all," Ismail said.

Earlier, Ramzan Kadyrov linked the accident rate on Chechen roads to the increasing number of tinted cars. He demanded that the problem be "completely eradicated," including by involving drivers' relatives. You can read about what exactly about the Chechen security forces' actions outrages car owners and the legal procedure for removing the film in the "Caucasian Knot" report "How Chechnya Fights Car Tinting."