Have you been dazzled?
A recent survey reveals that numerous drivers are concerned that headlights are excessively bright, posing a potential risk of causing accidents. The study suggests that a considerable number of older drivers even opt to avoid night-time driving due to this issue.
The statistics
The RAC has urged an independent investigation into the matter following its own survey, which revealed that over 85% of drivers experiencing headlight glare stated that the issue is worsening.
Approximately 64% of individuals believe that headlights are excessively bright, posing a potential risk of causing accidents. Several older drivers mentioned in the survey that they avoid nighttime driving due to this particular concern.
According to government statistics, there has been an annual average of 280 road collisions in Britain since 2013, wherein blinding headlights were identified as a contributing factor.
Why is this happening
With 85 percent of drivers affected by headlight glare indicating a worsening issue, the RAC has outlined several likely contributing factors. These include the increase of vehicles equipped with LED headlights, generating a more concentrated and focused white beam that can be harsher on the eyes compared to the traditionally softer yellow light emitted by halogen bulbs.
The rising popularity of elevated SUVs is another contributing factor as they sit higher off the ground. However, some participants place responsibility on drivers who use headlights that are improperly adjusted. According to data from the DVSA by the RAC, it was revealed that five percent of MOT failures in November in 2023 were attributed to misaligned headlights.
