A study commissioned by the UK’s Department for Transport (DfT) indicates that a significant majority of drivers believe headlights from oncoming vehicles are excessively bright and distracting. The study found that 97% of respondents regularly or sometimes experienced distractions from oncoming vehicles, while 96% felt that many headlights were unreasonably bright. In response to these findings, the government has announced plans to reevaluate car and headlamp designs due to concerns about glare affecting drivers.
The research, carried out by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) and involving 1,850 drivers representative of the UK license-holding population, suggested that new types of LED and whiter headlamps might exacerbate glare issues, making night driving more challenging for many. Notably, 33% of participants reported decreasing their nighttime driving, while 22% indicated they would prefer to drive less at night if possible.
TRL’s findings emphasize that LED headlights are not only brighter but also produce more blue light, which can be harder for the human eye to perceive at night. The report adds to ongoing discussions about how to balance the benefits of high-performance headlights with the potential hazards they pose in terms of dazzling other drivers.
Rod Dennis, a senior policy officer at the RAC, acknowledged the study’s validation of drivers’ concerns regarding headlight glare and stressed the importance of achieving a balance that addresses both visibility and safety. Clinical advisor Denise Voon suggested that the DfT take prompt action to support drivers and conduct further research on potential changes to headlight regulations.
This development comes as road safety remains a primary focus for both policymakers and drivers in the UK.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1j8ewy1p86o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss