Drivers are increasingly complaining about the intense LED headlight glare that comes from newer vehicles, but the issue is not as clear as one might think.
The U.S. is taking baby steps toward smart headlight systems that adjust their beams based on what is in their path and look less harsh to oncoming drivers, but they still could be years away from hitting the roads.
Why Are Headlights So Bright These Days?
Some experts say several factors are contributing to drivers reporting glare. One is that LED lights are not brighter, but the blueish-white light emitted is more irritating to the human eye. The others relate to the position of the headlights, the height of newer vehicles and older drivers.
AAA has published numerous studies about headlights and related issues such as glare and did not find a problem, according to Greg Brannon, director of automotive engineering and industry relations for AAA Inc. “LEDs put more light on roads where people need it,” he said. “There is no evidence that LED lights are a hazard.”
Drivers Disagree
Still, drivers are reporting discomfort and being blinded by oncoming cars with LED headlights and some are calling for them to be banned.
“There is a problem,” acknowledged Dr. John Bullough, director of the Light and Health Research Center at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. “There are some issues (with headlights) people are experiencing more than they did 10-to-20 years ago, and they are making more people complain. But the basic regulations for headlights and how they produce light in certain directions have been the same for several decades. Technology has changed.”
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Download Now!Over the past 10 years, automakers transitioned to LEDs and high-intensity discharge (HID) headlights from halogen headlights, which produce soft yellow light, which is easier on the eyes. On the plus side, LED bulbs last longer and an LED array has many small bulbs, which can be shifted in different directions to shape the beam. The white light also makes it easier to spot road markings and more closely resembles daylight.
But there are drawbacks. “They tend to make glare more noticeable and uncomfortable,” according to Bullough.
Calls to Regulate LED Headlights
Groups such as the Soft Lights Foundation argue that the use of LED and HID headlights “has become a source of dangerous, blinding glare,” and has an online petition asking Congress and federal agencies to regulate LEDs. More than 50,000 people have signed the petition so far.
Other factors are contributing to people experiencing headlight glare, according to Bullough. Many vehicles are higher now, so lights on SUVs and trucks shine directly into the eyes of sedan drivers, he said. “Passenger cars get a brighter splash of light.”
Also, headlights are often misaligned, and drivers don’t realize it. “Consistently, over a few decades, a lot of cars have poorly misdirected headlights,” said Bullough. “If they are too high, the beam hits (oncoming drivers) in the eyes. If they are too low, drivers can’t see much past their car.” Not all states require headlight alignment to be assessed, he added.
The aging of the U.S. population also plays a role, Brannon maintained. There were almost 48 million licensed drivers ages 65 and older in 2020, according to the latest research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That is a 68% increase over 20 years ago. “New technology looks different coming toward older drivers, when they are used to seeing a soft yellow glow,” he said. “The LED and HID lights draw drivers’ attention, and then they have a problem with a glare.”
People’s ability to see in the dark decreases every year after age 40, Brannon added, and drivers are less able to recover from glare. To cope with glare, Brannon recommended drivers modify their gaze and look at the road, not the oncoming headlights.
Smarter Headlights Are on the Way
If anything, headlights on U.S. cars should be brighter, Brannon said. The U.S. has a much lower maximum output for high beams than most countries and standards have not changed in decades. AAA research shows that 64% of American drivers do not extensively use their high beams, often out of concern for other drivers. But driving with low beams all the time can be a safety hazard. “If you are driving with low beams over 35 mph and encounter something in the road, you can’t stop in time,” according to Bullough.
Changes are coming, although slowly. More new cars in the U.S. have automatic high/low beam switching systems, which allow drivers to use their high beams all the time, because the headlights switch to low beams if they detect an oncoming vehicle.
Even more advanced technology is available, but not in the U.S., and although high-tech headlights have been approved here, it still could be years before drivers actually see them. Since 2013, Europe and most of the world have been using adaptive driving beam (ADB) headlights, which produce more light and automatically change the direction of the beam to reduce glare for oncoming drivers or pedestrians while not losing forward illumination.
Despite urging from multiple organizations, including AAA, the type of ADBs used by most of the world have not been approved for use in the U.S.
Crafting New ADBs
In 2022, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) approved ADB headlighting systems similar to what is used in other countries, but with different criteria for performance, according to Bullough.
The U.S. Department of Transportation drew up glare-proof specifications for ADB headlights, but more testing and information are required. Vehicle manufacturers are waiting for detailed specifications before starting to build and install these systems, to avoid misinterpretations and recalls, according to Bullough.
Because these headlights will be brighter, the changes also will require some adjustments by drivers, but the headlights are overdue, said Brannon. “Modern headlight systems put light where you need it,” he said. “Over time, people will become more accustomed to it.”
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How do you feel about headlight glare? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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218 Thoughts on “What’s the Story With Headlight Glare?”
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I thought it was just me having night vision difficulties with the glare from oncoming vehicles and that maybe I was developing eye problems! I’ve pretty much curtailed or avoided when possible, driving at night, which is rather inconvenient.
And I totally agree and concur with Prof. Gammarano’s comments above.
Thank you for this article!
Those headlights are awful!!!! So blinding and makes it more difficult for me to drive safely!!!!
Absolutely hate them! Especially where I live. Many streets have no lights
Had I known there was a petition, I would have signed it and had all family members sign it. I am over age 70 and have been driving most of my of my life. As of December of 2022 I announced to my family that I would no longer be driving at night. I have tried all different methods of handling the glare but nothing seems to work. Even as a passenger the headlights are an issue. I feel I would be jeopardizing the occupants of my car and others if I continued to drive at this time of day. I’ve always been an excellent driver with a clean record. I do still drive in the daylight, with no problems. And having discussions on this topic have found many, many people are having the same difficulty. Please do something about these lights.
I’ve been struggling with being blinded by headlights at night for a while now… I end up driving with my left hand out in front of me, blocking the glare so I’m not blinded. I find the blinding lights extremely dangerous, and don’t understand why this is allowed. It seems to me that any advantage of these lights for the driver is outweighed by the disadvantage to oncoming traffic. I can’t tell if someone has their high beams on- they may as well, it’s just all blinding. I drive a lower car, a VW Golf, so my lower position adds to the problem. I’m 64, so maybe it’s partly my eyesight, but I can tell the difference when a car has the old style, warmer yellow lights, which are so much more pleasant and not a problem at all for my eyes.
The LED light glare is really bad at dusk. I miss those soft headlights of the past.
One other difference is that in newer vehicles, the cut-off for the top of the headlight beam is very sharp and abrupt making the oncoming (or rearview mirror image) seem to flash as the attitude of the approaching vehicle changes over rises, dips, or bumps in the road.
I find that newer cars and trucks have headlights that have much more glare than older cars and make it very uncomfortable for this 77 year old, especially when raining.
It’s annoying and definitely a driving hazard. And blaming it on older drivers and their vision (one of the “experts” explanations) is unfair.
LED light are particularly dangerous in the light bars of emergency vehicles.I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to drive past a traffic stop or actual emergency scene on faith alone since I couldn’t see a thing in all the glare.
I concur with responses that include driver attitudes and aggressiveness as contributory factors to the problem of blinding glare. And I too reject those explanations that are dismissive of the problem. This is a real problem. However, I want to mention a related and more critical problem that likewise needs to be addressed: Emergency lighting on law enforcement and safety vehicles responding to accidents or supporting night maintenance work on the highways. The light bars with strobes, the combination of red, blue, and white flashing lights, the large spotlights illuminating work areas, and the general confusion, disarray of traffic patterns and redirection by on-scene officers/troopers can create more safety hazards then helps.
In the midst of such disorienting explosions of light, one traffic officer with a hand-held flashlight is nearly impossible to see and the meaning of any directional signals given by the hand-held light are impossible to interpret if indeed they can be seen at all. Add to this a cluster of impatient, aggressive drivers, and big vehicles with glaring headlights and you have the perfect storm for a major disaster.
Thank you for this timely and relevant article.
Ed Keazirian
I agree with Edward and his well stated comments!
As others have stated, it depends upon the vehicle. Retrofitted LED lights just are not as precise as those designed by the vehicle manufacturers. My Rivian R1T has a very precise beamwidth that focuses the light on the road, not upward. It also has automatic dimming of high beam lights when it senses oncoming traffic. Eventually, all vehicles will have these lights designed to focus on the road.
Mr. Bannon is wrong and perhaps too close to the industry he is tasked with relating to. The LED and halogen lights are a major problem. And it isn’t just an aging population. Over the past few weeks I have spoken to teenage drivers, and several people in their 20’s and 30’s and they say they have a problem with the glare from the new lights, as well as the masses of people who drive around with their high beams on constantly. Even the police do it now. And the comment on the egregiousness of the “Jeep Wrangler” drivers is absolutely correct. I am glad that AAA did this article. Something needs to be done about it. These lights are more of a menace than a help.
Oncoming LED lights, especially those with a blue tint, absolutely are blinding. Toss in astigmatism, which I’ve had since childhood; those painfully bright lights take on halo and starry qualities, which makes seeing much more difficult.
I’d be so glad to see those lights banned, along with the aftermarket light bars so popular with segments of the pickup/‘boom car’/Jeep-driving population.
I have been complaining about the glaring lights now for a few years. Glad to know that I am not alone. After reading this article that Europe has the automatic, lights just wondering why we don’t have them and why are we so behind.? I thought the US is at the forefront of technology. In any case I tried using these yellow glasses which do cut down on the glare by changing the color from bright white to yellow or green. A bit better on the eyes. Change can’t come soon enough for new cars but what about the millions of older cars without the new technology?
I agree that the newest high-intensity automobile headlights are not only annoying but dangerous. I have often been momentarily blinded by oncoming glare from this type of headlight. This can negate the so-called increased safety factor of brighter lights.
Yes, the glare from oncoming headlights has increased exponentially in my experience over the last 5-10 years. And I don’t think that all of it can be attributed to my increasing age.
Sorry Mr. Brannon. It isn’t all in our heads. And it isn’t only a problem for older people (though by itself 48 million drivers over 65 with a problem should be cause for concern). It is the lights. And they are dangerously blinding. Thanks.
Brighter lights are definitely a problem, but an equally important issue is the people who drive with their high beams on at all times.
It is not just older drivers; these new lights are BLINDING! “More than 50,000 people have signed the petition so far”, I feel if people knew about this petition, that number would be much, much higher
I have been bothered by the LED/HID lamps on cars, but I have found one method of dealing with these lights. I have found that using my sun visor in the down position helps a lot, as it blocks out most of the light coming from on-coming cars when they are farther away and this helps me to see my side of the road much better. As the oncoming car gets closer, the sun visor does not block out the light as much, BUT because the car is now much closer, the light does not seem to have as broad of a beam and seems to be more downward focused and is thus not as much of a problem for my eyes. The only drawback to using my sun visor at night has to do with having to move it to see traffic signal lights when I am stopped at one.
I am constantly blinded by these bright headlights. It’s just a matter of time before these things cause me to crash into something.