Drivers across the UK might be in for some relief from the blinding effects of modern car headlights. The Government is set to investigate the impact of LED headlights on road safety as about 90% of drivers have complained they are “too bright”.
The Department for Transport (DfT) has asked the Transport Research Laboratory to delve into the causes and potential solutions to the issue of headlight glare, which can dazzle drivers.
Lilian Greenwood, future roads minister, gave an update, confirming that research is under way with results expected in “due to deliver in summer 2025”.
She assured: “All types of road vehicle headlamps are designed, tested, and approved to internationally recognised standards to help prevent undue glare and ensure safety on a broad range of roads and environments.”
Addressing the increasing concerns she noted: “However, noting increased public concern about headlamp glare, Government has commissioned independent research to better understand the root causes and develop potential countermeasures.”
Additionally, the DfT highlighted that this topic is also being scrutinised by the UN’s international expert group on vehicle lighting, which may result in further actions by September 2027.
A spokesperson for the DfT said that the findings of the ongoing independent research will play an instrumental role in identifying the main factors contributing to driver glare and in determining “appropriate mitigations”.
A RAC survey of 2,000 drivers has brought to light a glaring issue on UK roads – the increasing problem of excessively bright headlights. According to the study, an overwhelming 85% of motorists believe that the intensity of headlights is intensifying with 89% saying that at least some car headlights they encounter are “too bright”, and 28% claiming “most are”.
The plight doesn’t end there; a staggering 91 percent report being “dazzled” by these beams, with 74% experiencing this discomfort “regularly”.
As many as 64% of respondents express concern that these ultra-bright lights present a real risk of causing accidents.
Alarmingly, five percent admit to having narrowly avoided collisions due to headlight glare, while seven percent find the situation so severe that they shun driving at night entirely – a figure which doubles for those aged 65 and over.
The root of the problem seems to lie with the advent of LED (light emitting diode) headlights, which outshine traditional halogen bulbs in terms of brightness.
This issue is compounded when cars sporting these LEDs aren’t aligned correctly, coupled with the growing popularity of higher-positioned vehicles like SUVs, which shine their brighter beams straight into the line of sight of drivers in lower-set cars.
