Car headlight glare 'blinding' drivers as RAC issues warning
The problem of car headlights dazzling drivers is getting worse, say more than half of glare suffering motorists, a new survey suggests.
Some 54% of people who believe some car headlights are too bright say they are dazzled more regularly now than a year ago, an RAC survey indicated.
The rising popularity of sports utility vehicles – which sit higher on the road – was one of the factors which some of the 1,215 respondents blamed for the increase in glare.
Others include the growing use of xenon and LED headlights, and drivers not adjusting their lights when carrying different loads.
Latest Department for Transport figures show the number of people injured in crashes caused by a driver being dazzled by headlights on Britain’s roads increased by 9% year-on-year to 392 in 2017, with a further six people killed.
One social media said: "Sometimes it’s like being blinded - worst is 4x4 as they sit higher up and even if I dip my mirror I still get glare from the mirrors on the door."
Rod Dennis, a spokesman for the automotive services company, said: “The dazzling effect of another driver’s headlights isn’t just uncomfortable – in some cases it can be nothing short of dangerous, making us lose sight of the road for a short time.
“So it’s concerning to see that a greater proportion of drivers have reported problems with glare this year than last year.
“The issue of glare is a complex one and it’s not as straightforward as saying one type of lightbulb causes more of a dazzling effect than another.
“There are a range of reasons why a driver might be dazzled, from a slight misalignment of a headlight, the difference in ride height of different vehicles and even individual people’s vision.”