Drivers being dazzled by intensely bright car LED headlights is posing a ‘deadly risk’, according to a top eye surgeon.
Dr Romesh Angunawela, consultant ophthalmic surgeon at London’s OCL Vision clinic and at Moorfields Eye Hospital, says it is ‘only a matter of time before headlight glare has deadly consequences’.
Dr Angunawela’s stark warning is in response to Government-funded research that found that 96 per cent of drivers feel headlights have become too bright.
Transport Research Laboratory’s (TRL) recent on-road data study, in combination with an RAC survey of 1,850 drivers, concluded that glare can be objectively linked to bright headlights and to certain road conditions and vehicles.
The findings are currently being reviewed by the government – there are strong calls for updated headlight standards to be introduced to reduce headlight glare and make it safer for motorists to drive at night and during winter months.
On average, police are called to 280 collisions – six being fatal – per year where headlight glare is cited as having played a role in causing the crash.
Deadly headlights warning: Dr Romesh Angunawela, consultant ophthalmic surgeon at London’s OCL Vision clinic and at Moorfields Eye Hospital, says that ‘it’s only a matter of time before headlight glare has deadly consequences’
TRL’s research – which was published earlier this month – concluded that vehicle design and updated vehicle lighting standards would play a significant role in mitigating headlight glare problems for the nation’s motorists.
Drivers in recent years have been complaining about modern vehicle headlights being ‘too bright’, with whiter lights and those fitted to taller vehicles such as SUVs often cited as problematic.
To put this theory to test, over 50 hours of on-road measurements were taken by TRL in a car instrumented with a luminance camera and other sensors.
A strong link between higher levels of luminance and glare experienced by observers inside the vehicle was identified – and the pitch and roll of the instrumented car was shown to increase the likelihood of glare being experienced.
Giving his expert take on the findings, Dr Angunawela said: ‘The Government’s study confirms what we’ve long suspected – powerful LED headlights bother the overwhelming majority of drivers.
‘From an engineering perspective, LED headlights are great. If your car has them, you’ll see more of the road, more clearly.
‘But great engineering isn’t always great for human biology.
‘The intensity, focus and wavelength of the light emitted by LED headlights can badly dazzle the drivers of oncoming vehicles.
‘This isn’t just frightening or uncomfortable.
‘When you’re driving at speed, even a few seconds of blindness could be disastrous.
‘As the nights draw in and millions of us drive more miles in the dark, it’s only a matter of time before headlight glare has deadly consequences.’
22% of people told the RAC that they’d like to drive less at night because of headlight glare but have no option
How is headlight glare affecting drivers?
Four in five drivers fear being dazzled by vehicle LEDs during darker winter evenings, the RAC found during a survey of 1,701 UK motorists.
In another RAC survey of 2,000 drivers – believed to be the most in-depth research into motorists’ views on dazzling headlights so far – one-in-four drivers who find vehicle headlights too bright said they are driving less as a result.
A further 22 per cent said they wish they could not drive at night but have no other choice.
And an additional 49 per cent told the RAC they drive less because they feel less safe. One-in-20 drivers have stopped driving at night altogether.
Drivers Ruth Goldsworthy and Sally Burt said bright headlights make it difficult for them to attend their weekly choir meetings in Totton, Hampshire.
‘Some of the lights are so bright you are blinded by them, for seconds,’ Ms Goldsworthy said.
Dr Angunawela explains that blue galre from LED headlights impacts drivers of all ages who wear glasses or contact lenses but it’s worse for drivers over 50 years old
Do bright LED headlights impact drivers of all ages?
Dr Angunawela explains that blue light glare from LED lights impacts drivers of all ages who wear glasses or contact lenses because the ‘eye struggles with blue wavelengths, and the risk of scattering is greatly increased if the light passes through materials that are smeared or dirty before reaching the eye’.
But he says older drivers ‘are more prone to experiencing dangerous levels of glare’: ‘From our 50s, the lens inside our eye gradually becomes less clear and this causes bright lights to scatter or create a dazzling halo effect. This is even worse for those with cataracts.’
Similarly Denise Voon, clinical advisor at The College of Optometrists, reports patients finding headlight glare a real challenge.
She says: ‘Patients are telling us more frequently that headlight glare from oncoming vehicles is affecting their ability to see clearly while driving, particularly at a time when brighter LED headlamps and larger SUV-type vehicles have become more common on the roads.’
Voon has therefore welcomed the government’s report, saying she ‘hopes this evidence enables the industry to find a solution that will reduce headlight glare and make driving at night safer for everyone’.
Angunawela also commented: ‘The laws on vehicle headlights haven’t kept up with the dramatic increase in the power and popularity of LED headlights, and the case is now overwhelming for the long-awaited Road Safety Strategy to include stricter regulations to keep drivers safe.’
Government and industry are being advised to review and update vehicle lighting standards to better reflect real-world conditions and the impact on drivers
What should the government and industry do to help reduce headlight glare?
TRL’s proposals range from harvesting data and raising public awareness to changing car design features to practically remove glare.
Government and industry are being advised to review and update vehicle lighting standards to better reflect real-world conditions and the impact on drivers.
This includes adjusting requirements to limit ‘luminance’ rather than ‘luminous intensity’.
Luminous intensity refers to the overall brightness of the headlights, while luminance indicates the degree of brightness over an area – the greater the source area the higher the luminance.
It’s also been suggested that further research into vehicle design features such as novel LED headlamps and vehicle height is conducted.
Other recommendations include public information campaigns and national surveys to better understand drivers’ experiences of glare.
Seven ways to limit the impact of glare – and prevent dazzling others
1. Slow down at night
If the glare from an oncoming vehicle at night is so bad that you temporarily can’t see anything, you should slow down to reduce the risk of the impact on your impaired visibility.
However, avoid slowing or stopping abruptly as you don’t want a car that is travelling behind you running into the back of you.
2. Don’t look directly at oncoming headlights
To prevent yourself from being dazzled, never look directly at the headlights of other cars.
Look to the left-hand side of the road and follow the white line marking the edge if there is one, so you can keep track of your position, the RAC recommends.
3. Make sure your windscreen is clear
Windscreens are particularly susceptible to steaming up on the inside, especially in cold weather, while car heaters can blow dirty air at the glass, causing a hazy film to build up on the inside.
This can increase glare from oncoming headlamps, so ensure yours is clean and clear.
4. Adjust your rear-view mirror
Drivers at night should dip the rear-view mirror to reduce the risk of being dazzled by motorists following them.
Many new motors in showrooms today have an auto-dimming rear-view mirror function. If your car doesn’t then you should be dipping the mirror manually.
5. Consider anti-glare glasses
If being dazzled by other drivers’ headlights or street lighting is an issue, motorists should consider anti-glare glasses when driving at night.
These are not simply glasses with yellow tints, which can help reduce glare by also make darker areas of the road less visible and are therefore not recommended.
Specsavers has a product called SuperDrive lenses for varifocal wearers, while all of its glasses can be fitted with a clear ‘SuperClean Smart’ treatment, which is specially designed to help reduce reflections and dazzle caused by oncoming headlights and street lighting — helping you have a safer journey.
Motorists suffering from glare at night should consult with their optician.
6. Use low beams where possible to safeguard other drivers
Use your low-beam headlights instead of high beams when driving in well-lit areas or when approaching other vehicles as high beams can significantly increase glare.
7. Regularly adjust your headlights
Ensure that your headlights are correctly aimed, especially if you are often travelling with heavy loads, which can impact the height of your lights beam.
Misaligned headlights not only contribute to blinding other drivers but will also reduce your own visibility.
