… but this has got to be a failure of state (legislature & enforcement) on both counts, right?

Taxpayers should be more demanding of some pubic servants (like politicians, even judges in some cases/countries).
Maybe bring that French democracy device on the next electrons.

Just ban high-positioned lights (or high vehicles in general), have them mandatory tested every year for alignment, fine folk with incorrect use of high-beansbeams or fog lights. And, you know, something about guns.