Drivers are more concerned about glare affecting their vision while driving than ever before, according to motoring body the RAC. The RAC surveyed 2,000 drivers and 89% thought some headlights on cars were too bright and 28% thought most headlights were too bright, which the RAC said was a higher proportion than ever.
Of those affected by glare, 85% believed the problem was getting worse while 67% said they had to slow down considerably until they were able to see clearly again. Sixty-four percent believed some headlights were so bright that they risked causing accidents and 5% of these drivers said they had nearly been involved in a collision.
Additionally, 7% said headlight glare was so bad that they avoided driving at night altogether, which rose to 14% for drivers aged 65 and over. Rod Dennis, an RAC spokesperson, said: ‘Our figures suggest drivers are more concerned than ever about headlight glare, with a huge proportion wanting to see something done about it.’
He added that the government urgently needed to take a closer look at the issue by commissioning an independent study to understand what was causing an increase in reports of dazzling and what could be done to keep drivers safe.
Blinded by the lights
The majority of drivers responding to the survey (68%) estimated it took them between one and five seconds to see clearly again after being dazzled by other drivers’ lights. The RAC noted 11% said it took six seconds or more, which was enough for a driver travelling at 60mph to cover 160 metres.
Glare was mostly perceived to be more of an issue by 87% of drivers because lights appeared much brighter, which the RAC said could be because of modern LED headlights.
The RAC noted that while LED headlights greatly improved a drivers’ view of the road, it could be to the detriment of other road users. It said LED headlights had a more intense and focused beam, which the human eye reacted differently to compared to a conventional halogen bulb.
Dennis said a lot driving would be done in darkness over the next few months before spring arrived, which meant many drivers would experience discomfort and danger 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.
‘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?’
Ray of light
The RAC’s survey also found 44% of drivers thought dazzling was caused by badly aligned headlights, which the motoring body was a common reason why cars failed MOTs. It added that the popularity of cars that sat higher on the road, such as SUVs, could be a factor and those driving hatchbacks, saloons or estates could suffer the most.
The survey found 62% of conventional cars blamed dazzling on higher vehicles, which reduced to 35% among those who drove higher vehicles. Whatever the causes of headlight glare, the RAC noted that survey respondents felt strongly about the issue with 81% who said more should be done, which rose to 87% among drivers aged 45 to 54.
The motoring body has raised the issue with the Department of Transport and worked with Baroness Hayter, a member of the House of Lords, to raise these concerns. The College of Optometrists said the RAC’s research was helpful to inform understanding of how changes in headlights could affect the functional vision of young and older drivers and their visual discomfort.
Mike Bowen, director of knowledge and research at the College of Optometrists, said: ‘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.’