Quarter of motorists affected by bright headlights have cut night driving – poll

A quarter (25%) of drivers who find vehicle headlights too bright are driving less at night because of the issue, a new survey suggests.

The poll of 1,866 UK drivers, commissioned by the RAC, also indicated that 22% wish they could reduce their night driving.

Nearly all drivers surveyed agreed that headlights can be too intense.

More than a third (36%) believe most are too bright, while 59% said some of them are.

Motorists aged under 35 are more likely to say most headlights are too bright (41%), as are those who use hatchbacks, estates or saloons (38%), which position the driver lower to the road than SUVs.

Three out of five (61%) respondents who suffer from headlight glare say the problem has worsened in the previous 12 months, with only 26% disagreeing.

Tired

Some 17% of people who still drive at night say the issue leaves them feeling tired and fatigued, while 16% say it has resulted in them suffering headaches, migraines and/or eye pain.

RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis said: “With the exception of potholes, few motoring topics seem to rouse as much interest among the nation’s drivers right now as bright headlights.

“What has gone from a mere frustration is now having a profound impact on people – whether that’s momentarily being blinded while driving or struggling to judge the speed or position of a vehicle ahead.

“The fact such a high proportion of people are also driving less at night – or wish they could – is remarkable and demonstrates the need for glare to be tackled.

“This does, however, need to be balanced with the potential road safety benefits afforded to people driving vehicles with brighter headlights.

“We’re pleased to be able to dispel some myths around the topic, such as the one that headlight glare is something that affects only older drivers.”

Dazzle

Baroness Dianne Hayter, who has also urged the Government to take action over headlights, said: “Virtually every driver experiences the problem of over-bright headlights, and many find the dazzle sufficiently problematic to stop or reduce their driving at night, with real social and other costs.

“The RAC has produced the evidence, now the Government needs to take action – whether on the colour, intensity or angle of these glaring lights.”

Denise Voon, clinical adviser at the College of Optometrists, said: “Optometrists are hearing from our patients more and more frequently that they’re having issues with night driving because of headlight glare from oncoming vehicles.

“More motorists are experiencing issues with their vision while driving at night earlier than we’d expect them to be impacted by age-related eye conditions, such as cataracts.”

Department for Transport (DfT) figures show that since 2013 there have been an average of 280 crashes on Britain’s roads every year where dazzling headlights were a contributory factor.

Of these, six a year involved someone losing their life.

The RAC believes headlights appear brighter on modern cars because the use of bi-xenon or LED rather than traditional halogen bulbs creates a more intense beam, which improves a driver’s view but can be to the detriment of other road users.

Other potential factors include badly aligned headlights and the prevalence of SUVs, which generally have headlights in a higher position.

A DfT spokesperson said: “We know there is increased public concern about headlamp glare – that’s why we have commissioned independent research to better understand the root causes, which will help identify potential mitigations.

“This project is expected to conclude in the summer, and we will update on its findings as soon as possible.

“There is also work under way at an international level on headlight glare prevention, which we will consider.”

– The survey of 1,866 UK drivers was conducted by research company Online95 in December 2024.