Shift to LED lights and vehicle design choices blaze a trail of blinding headlights on roads

As you navigate the roads at night, the blinding glare of oncoming headlights might feel like an increasing hazard. Recent years have seen a surge in headlight brightness, leaving some drivers momentarily blinded by the intense beams. The culprit behind this trend lies in the automotive industry’s shift from halogen to LED lights.

Newer cars equipped with LED headlights contribute to the heightened brightness. While both halogen and LED lamps may meet safety requirements, the distinct blue hue of LED lights creates an impression of increased brightness. Experts explain that a vehicle with LED headlights can appear up to 40% brighter than its halogen counterpart, despite both meeting regulatory standards.

This issue is particularly pronounced with trucks and SUVs, popular choices across the US. The height difference between these larger vehicles and smaller cars exacerbates the problem. Daniel Stern, chief editor of Driving Vision News, emphasizes the challenges faced by drivers in low cars, asserting that the lamps mounted high on SUVs and trucks pose a persistent hazard.

Matt Kossoff, founder and chief product officer of The Retrofit Source, further supports these claims, noting that headlights have indeed become brighter. The Soft Lights Foundation has gone so far as to petition for a ban on ‘blinding headlights,’ gathering over 52,000 signatures. The mismatch between small cars and larger vehicles, coupled with the intensified brightness of LED lights, has ignited concerns about road safety.

With the issue escalating, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) faces mounting pressure to establish standards that address the disparities in headlight intensity, fostering a safer driving experience for all road users.