Headlight glare revealed as a major problem

More than half of drivers say they have stopped or reduced driving at night due to headlamp glare

The inaugural study by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) investigated headlamp glare and driver perceptions.

The research surveyed 1,850 UK drivers and indicated that the driving public regard glare from vehicle headlamps as an important and widespread issue when driving at night. More than half of drivers reported either having stopped or reduced driving at night – or would if they could – due to headlamp glare.

Tests involving a special cameras found evidence that modern lights are brighter. But the study also said that individual factors such as increasing age of drivers and diseases of the eye make people more sensitive, so it’s likely a combination of both. The research also found that other factors such as the geometry of the road play a role. Glare was more likely on hills or bends, where the ‘throw’ of the headlamps was more likely to catch a driver directly in the eyes.

The data indicates that vehicle size and headlamp technology (LEDs) are potentially part of the problem. The research suggests that LED and whiter headlamps may be linked to glare. Drivers said they find whiter light harder to cope with, for example.

Larger vehicles such as SUVs may also make glare worse because of how the lights are positioned. But TRL said these findings need confirming in further work designed to test them directly.

A TRL spokesperson said: “Our findings suggest there’s a case for updating the rules, so they consider glare from the driver’s perspective, not just the headlamp’s technical output.”

TRL added that the research could form part of a bigger conversation, exploring renewed attention on headlamp standards in the coming years. And it’s called for public awareness campaigns on glare and further research to understand the problem in more detail.

The publication of the report follows latest RAC research that shows four in five drivers (82%) are concerned about getting dazzled by vehicle headlights with the arrival of darker evenings.

RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis said: “Having campaigned hard for this study, we welcome its findings which independently confirm what drivers have been telling us – that rather than being an imagined phenomenon, some bright headlights do cause a glare problem. While drivers clearly benefit from high-performing headlights, it’s important this doesn’t lead to others suffering the effects of dazzle, so a balance needs to be struck.”