The Government plans to commission independent research into the issue of headlamp glare after an online petition calling for action easily topped 10,000 signatures.
The commitment follows research from the RAC showing that 8 in 10 motorists believe the problem is getting worse.
"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. This topic has undoubtedly struck a chord with motorists," says the RAC’s Rod Dennis.
The RAC said that today’s brighter LED headlights undoubtedly give drivers a better view of the road ahead but “are clearly causing other roads users significant problems”. 14% of drivers aged 65+ have stopped driving altogether has a result of being dazzled, he added. Modern cars are now becoming bigger and taller, and with the boom in popularity of SUVs in recent years, drivers of smaller vehicles may find that modern LED lights from SUVs are dazzling them at night.
The Government has stated that all vehicle headlamps are designed and tested to follow international standards. These should ensure they are bright enough to illuminate the road, but not to dazzle other roads users. The research also looked into how long drivers were having to wait for their eyesight to return fully after being dazzled. Some 68 per cent said between one to five seconds and one in 10 said six or more when travelling at 60mph – causing 160 metres of blind driving.
"We know that lots of people raise concerns about headlight glare – but also that the police collision statistics don’t show any underlying road safety issue," says Dennis.
Because of this lack of evidence, the Department for Transport (DfT) actually raised the issue at the United Nations international expert group on vehicle lighting. This saw proposals agreed in April 2023, to include mandatory automatic headlamp levelling.
However, because car makers need time to plan ahead, the tighter tolerances won’t come into force until September 2027.
Ahead of this, the DfT says it "plans to commission independent research to better understand the root causes of glare and identify any further appropriate mitigations."
Baroness Hayter, who joined the RAC and the College of Optometrists in calling for action, said the review was a victory for motorists who have "sought help from an optometrist, only to discover the problem was with headlights and not their eyes".
Ack: RAC