The RAC is urging the government to commission an independent study into the issue of headlight glare as new research shows more than 90% of drivers say they get ‘dazzled’ while they drive.
A survey of 2,000 drivers found a huge nine-in-10 people think at least some headlights on cars are too bright, and 28% said most of them are.
The RAC has been surveying drivers on dazzling headlights since 2018, but these new findings show more drivers than ever appear to be suffering from them, with 85% of those affected stating they believe the problem is getting worse.
According to the RAC, the reasons drivers perceive headlight glare to be such an issue are less clear, but an overwhelming 87% of dazzled drivers think it is mainly due to the fact some lights just appear much brighter.
This could be a result of the increasing prevalence of cars fitted with LED headlights, leading to a much more intense and focused beam that the human eye reacts differently to, compared to a conventional ‘yellower’ halogen bulb.
While LED headlights are great for improving a driver’s view of the road ahead, this can be to the detriment of other road users who encounter them.
RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said:
“Our figures suggest drivers are more concerned than ever about headlight glare, with a huge proportion wanting to see something done about it.
“We urgently need the Government to take a closer look at the issue, ideally by commissioning an independent study to understand what’s causing an increase in reports of dazzling and, most importantly, what can do be done to keep drivers safe.
“With spring still a long way off, there’s a good chance many people will do most of their driving in darkness over the next few months and, according to our research, that means an awful lot of drivers will experience the discomfort and even danger that comes from being dazzled by headlights.
“On the one hand, brighter headlights can be a good thing as they give drivers a clearer and safer view of the road view of the road, but that appears to come at a cost for those on the receiving end of excessively bright lights.”
Government collision statistics shows that since 2013, there has been an average of 280 collisions a year where dazzling headlights were a contributory factor. Of these, six a year involved someone losing their life.
The actual number may be higher if an investigation was unable to determine whether or not a collision was directly or indirectly caused by the glare from another vehicle’s headlights.
As a result of the sentiment among drivers, the RAC has raised the issue of headlight glare with the Department for Transport and has been working with a member of the House of Lords, Baroness Hayter, to make drivers’ concerns known among Government officials.
The RAC provided details of its research to go into a report published last week and will be meeting with the Government this month to discuss it.
Mike Bowen, Director of Knowledge and Research at the College of Optometrists, said:
“The results from this research by the RAC are helpful to inform our understanding of how changes in vehicle headlight technologies may be affecting both the functional vision of young and older drivers, and their visual comfort, when driving at night.
“Older drivers are likely to be disproportionately affected by headlight glare, so may be more likely to experience difficulties or to decide not to drive at night at all.
“We urge the Government to commission more technical and clinical research to have a better understanding of this issue and what should be done to ease the effects of dazzling headlights.”
What to do if headlights are too bright?
- Always use your rear-view mirror properly at night. Some newer cars have self-dimming rear-view mirrors that can reduce dazzle from vehicles behind – if you’re changing your car soon, look for one that has such a mirror fitted.
- Most drivers still need to manually adjust their mirrors in the dark to reduce glare. About half the drivers surveyed by the RAC who reported getting dazzled said they do so at night (54%).
- Speak to your optometrist. Just 6% of drivers told the RAC they’d talked to their optician about glare. For those who wear glasses, a glare-minimising coating can help – something a quarter (25%) of affected drivers said they are benefitting from.
Further reading
Driver and passenger claims – Oakwood Solicitors
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Tim Driver has been handling Road Traffic Accident (RTA) claims since around 2007, dealing with both English and Scottish cases. Tim strives to settle his clients' claims on the best terms possible, …
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