2 weeks Ago By Grace Piercy
An increasing number of drivers are reporting being dazzled by oncoming LED headlights, according to the RAC. They are legal when fitted by the manufacturer and within the limits of dazzle. About two-thirds of those affected said it forced them to slow down considerably, while a similar number believed some LED headlights were so bright they risked causing accidents.
Government figures show that, over the last 11 years, there have been an average of 280 collisions yearly where dazzling headlights were a contributory factor. Of these, six a year involved a death. Mechanic John Tinham told BBC Essex that he believed many LED headlights are just not adjusted properly by drivers.
He said: "I kept getting flashed by other cars and I thought 'there must be something in this', so I took it to a testing station but they said nothing was wrong. "I then took it to another testing station and they said the lights were way too high, so I adjusted the lights myself, and it only took me three minutes." Optician Aashika Patel said that LED headlights are a problem that seems to have got worse in the last five years.
"The older generation of my patients are shying away from driving at night,” she said. Ms Patel added: "I see around 10 patients a day and eight out of 10 patients will complain about this problem. It's a common thing for them to say that they are not comfortable, the lights are too bright, 'I don't feel confident anymore'.
It doesn't harm the eye, it just causes a lot of glare." This comes as the Transport Research Laboratory—a private transport consultancy firm—conducts the first independent research into the impact of bright beams on drivers. Its commission from the Department for Transport came in response to a petition with more than 10,000 signatures that urged ministers to launch a review.
The RAC said it was a key concern among motorists and welcomed the move as an opportunity to fix it. The RAC’s road safety spokesperson, Rod Dennis, said in August: “The fact the government has listened to drivers’ concerns and heeded our calls to examine the complex issue of headlight glare in more detail marks a real turning point.” The Department for Transport said the independent research would help “better understand the root causes of driver glare and identify any further appropriate mitigations”.
The Transport Research Laboratory is expected to report its findings to the Department for Transport in 2025..
