British drivers are reporting being ‘dazzled’ by new LED headlights (Image: PA Archive/PA Images)
Campaigners are warning that motorists are “feeling the strain” of increasingly bright headlights “more than ever before”, despite reassurances from a Labour minister sent to quell
Lilian Greenwood, in response to an inquiry about the safety of LED headlights, stated that current statistics “do not show any discernible trend to suggest that advances in lighting technology are contributing negatively” to road accidents. However, Edmund King, president of the AA, has reported that members are complaining of being “blinded” by LED vehicle lights, which they believe are exacerbating driving difficulties.
Labour MP Graeme Downie, who posed the question in Parliament, also highlighted concerns that some drivers may not fully realise how their lights can adversely affect others.
National collision figures reveal that dazzling headlights were cited as a factor in 216 incidents in 2023, with Kent and Surrey experiencing the highest number of related at 11 each. These numbers indicate a slight increase from 211 incidents the previous year but show a decrease from the 315 cases in 2017 and 309 a decade earlier.
Some drivers find the bright LED headlights on some cars dazzling (Image: Getty)
The Government is awaiting the results of independent research on headlight glare, expected to be released this summer. Mr King emphasised the severity of the issue, stating: “Our own research shows it is an issue for some drivers with three quarters saying they have been blinded by oncoming headlights.
“Our members tell us that they are feeling the strain of brighter headlights more than ever before, as well as brighter brake and traffic lights.”
“Conversely, they also say brighter lights enhance road safety. The problem seems to be LED lights on higher vehicles such as SUVs.
“The Government-sponsored investigation into the use of LED lights on our roads should help clarify this issue further, as well as provide appropriate measures where needed.”
Mr Downie, the MP for Dunfermline and Dollar in Scotland, told PA: “I have heard from constituents, as well as from family and friends and my own experience driving round the constituency that cars with newer LED lights can be blinding for other road users.
“While they might illuminate the road well for the driver, they dazzle in the eyes of other road users and could be dangerous. In addition, technology such as automatic beam control that is more common means some drivers are less aware of the impact their own lighting might have on others.
“The safety of individual drivers cannot be at the expense of other road users and pedestrians. I am glad this is something the Government is now looking at and I look forward to the results and what action can be taken to improve road safety.”
RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis said: “Few issues we deal with have triggered quite as much of a reaction among drivers as the brightness of headlights. It’s clear that, for a proportion of the driving public, glare affects them profoundly on the roads at night. “.
Although the frustration is palpable, the root causes of the issue and potential solutions are far from clear, making the Government-funded project a vital initiative. In her written response to Mr Downie, Ms Greenwood stated: “National collision statistics, which can record headlamp dazzle as a contributory factor, do not show any discernible trend to suggest that advances in lighting technology are contributing negatively to road vehicle collisions.
“However, noting increased public concern, Government has commissioned independent research to better understand the root causes of headlamp glare and develop potential countermeasures. ” “This work is under way and is due to deliver in summer 2025.”