Majority of survey respondents say lights are too bright
A motoring organisation wants action on headlight glare as an astounding eight out of 10 surveyed drivers say it’s a problem – and one which is getting worse.
The RAC is calling for the government to commission an independent study into the issue of headlight glare.
It’s published a survey of 2,000 drivers which found that 89% think at least some headlights on cars on the road today are too bright. It reveals that nearly 30% of respondents feel that most car headlights are simply too bright.
‘Our figures suggest drivers are more concerned than ever about headlight glare, with a huge proportion wanting to see something done about it,’ says RAC spokesperson Rod Dennis.
‘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.’
The RAC says just over 90% say they get dazzled when driving. Just under 75% say it happens regularly to them.
When it comes to the effects of glare on drivers, nearly 70% say they have to slow down considerably until they can see clearly again.
More than 60% of respondents believe some headlights are so bright they risk causing accidents – with an incredible 5% of these drivers stating that bright headlights had nearly resulted in a collision for themselves.
Survey reveals impact of ‘dazzling’ headlights on motorists
Alarmingly, nearly one-in-10 say they find headlight glare so bad that they avoid driving at night altogether, a figure that rises to 14% for drivers aged 65 and over.
The RAC has been surveying the impact of dazzling lights on drivers since 2018. As part of its study, the RAC asked drivers to estimate how long it takes them to see clearly again after getting dazzled by other drivers’ lights.
Nearly 70% say it takes between one and five seconds with 11% saying it takes six seconds or more. At 60 mph this is the equivalent of travelling 160 metres or 40 car lengths.
Experts say the reasons drivers perceive headlight glare to be such an issue are less clear, although an overwhelming 87% of dazzled drivers think it is mainly due to the fact some lights just appear much brighter.
‘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,’ explains Rod.
‘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.’
‘The numbers of reported road casualties where headlight glare was listed as a contributing factor might be small when compared to something like speeding, but that only tells part of the story.’
‘Is it right we have such a high proportion of drivers who feel unsafe when they’re driving at night, with some having even given up night-time trips altogether?’
Modern headlights: creating a more intense and focused beam?
The RAC says this could be as a result of the increasing prevalence of cars fitted with LED headlights which leads to a much more intense and focused beam when compared to a conventional ‘yellower’ halogen bulb.
It adds that 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.
‘Drivers are increasingly telling us they are concerned by modern headlights and some are now even limiting the amount of time they spend driving during darkness to avoid glare,’ says Nicholas Lyes, IAM RoadSmart Director of Policy and Standards.
‘Being dazzled by a headlight has a worrying impact on road safety and we need policymakers to take this matter seriously.’
The RAC says that 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.
It goes on to say that 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.
‘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,’ says Mike Bowen, Director of Knowledge and Research at the College of Optometrists.
‘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.’
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.
