IAM RoadSmart welcomes publication of headlight glare report

Responding to an IAM RoadSmart backed report into headlight glare, Director of Policy and Standards Nicholas Lyes said: "Drivers are increasingly telling us they are concerned by modern headlights and some are now even limiting the amount of time they spend driving during darkness to avoid glare. Being dazzled by a headlight has a worrying impact on road safety and we need policymakers to take this matter seriously."

Baroness Hayter said:

“The Group’s first interaction with Ministers led them to say: No problem here, no evidence of deaths or serious injuries. Since then, the public have reached out to tell us they disagree, and that many are stopping driving at night, with 8 out of 10 drivers surveyed wanting action to reduce glare. We know other countries share our concern, with drivers demanding action. Government needs to heed the call for action and be on the side of road safety. The Highway Code states “You must not use any lights in a way which would dazzle .. other road users” – a requirement breached on every road every night.”

Rod Dennis of RAC said:

“A large majority of drivers we surveyed tell us they find the dazzling nature of some car headlights makes driving difficult, if not unsafe. While current regulations governing vehicle headlights are agreed at an international level, we think the whole topic warrants more focus from the Government. There is a good argument for independent research to be commissioned that gets to the root causes of headlight glare so that the problem so many drivers face can be tackled.”

Dr John Lincoln of LightAware, the Report’s lead author, said:

“Many modern headlights are incompatible with dark-adapted human eyesight – particularly for older drivers. They are too bright, too blue and are blinding over too long a distance. Regulation is required to cut the risk of accidents and reduce driver fatigue.”