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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Maybe the automakers should make antiglare windshields,the same technology used on eye glasses
Today’s headlights and highbeams are outrageously bright! Whether in a sedan or an SUV, when those lights hit you, you are completely blinded! I was taught to shift you eyes toward the white line on your right but even that doesn’t work anymore! I used to love driving at night but now I dread it. Also age isn’t the problem because my 20-year-old son has had the same problems! There needs to be a solution not a debate, sooner than later for everyone’s safety!
This is a subject near to my heart. Why not require auto and truck manufacturers to set the height of headlights the same as a sedan? There is no good reason for a pickup truck to have his lights aligned with my eyes when the light provided by my sedan height lights provides enough light on the road for either a sedan or a pickup truck.
I made a mistake in my earlier comment. My relative who is a retired senior designer for a luxury British car manufacturer said that LED headlights do NOT illuminate further down the road, they are a driving hazard, and they should be outlawed. Period
A relative of mine is a retired senior designer for a luxury British car manufacturer. He says that current LED headlights do illuminate farther down the road and their brightness is a driving hazard and they should be outlawed. Period.
The issue is not “brightness’, but the color of the light. Lumens measure brightness. Color is measured using the Kelvin scale. Warm (yellow) light is in the 2700-3000 Kelving scale. Direct sunlight is 4800-5000-on the Kelvin scale. Cheaper LEDs tend to be in the direct sunlight range. Auto LED headlights are pretty much just like looking into the sun. Restricting Kelvin ratings while maintaining Lumens would be rationale. LED headlights are simply caustic to the human eye. Rules need to be changed to include the ergonomic effect on the human eye
I already made a comment about the bright lights. But another thing that would help is better markings on the roads, especially side roads. I know the government will say it’s not in the budget to keep repainting the lines. But if they were to use something more reflective or even a paint that abosorbs light and then glows in the dark. That might solve some of the problem.
Recently I kept thinking everyone was being inconsiderate and keeping their high beams on. Then my son pointed it that it’s not high beams it’s just the way headlights are on newer cars. Very irritating and in wet or foggy weather a real dangerous glare.
Many tests in the time when i first looked up information on this topic several years ago, on another kind of new but actually far more expensive headlight bulb technology, were focussed on very limited questions to decide whether the lights were good. They initially published testing and reporting on: how bright and how clear objects were to a Driver with the new lights but not the impact on those trying to see who might be driving toward the driver. (It is another case of emphasizing the individual over the group of people who may be affected by their actions, and these reports ignored any discussion of why amber lights used to be the color of choice). There was a new light someone i met had played some role in its development or discovery, and was so excited about it, and i told him – why not try to get these lights used on the signs (where they would be pointed downward and not toward oncoming traffic) rather than on the new cars where their bright lights could cause other drivers to have accidents!
I am always complaining to my son about how I hate how bright the lights are when cars are coming at me. When someone is behind me on the highway it shine in my rear view and side mirror and I have to change lanes. It also shines in mirrors at red lights. I always look down at the road when bright lights are coming toward me, but that’s just a bandaid for a growing problem.
I also feel that senior drivers should be required to take a driving test after a certain age. Your reflexes are as quick as they once were. It’s not degrading, it’s true. There have been too many accidents because people have mistaken the gas for the brake and when their car doesn’t stop they step on it harder and they cause damage, injuries and sometimes death.
Thankfully my mom knew when it was time to hang up her keys. I’m 60 and when my time comes I’d be more than happy to take a driving test and hang up my keys.
I absolutely agree that some headlights can be blinding and are unsafe for oncoming drivers as well as the driver of the bright headlights because they could be injured by someone that is blinded by their car.
I find the headlights to be blinding, esp. on the taller cars like SUV’s/trucks. Being an older driver contributes to the fact that my eyes are more sensitive to light, making the newer headlights not only annoying, but actually blinding – similar to sun-glare.
there are things that are not being addressed in this article, understanding the Leds are brighter and safer because of this.
1. There are very many unconscious drivers out there. one of the things they do is to drive with their high beams on. Blink your lights at the oncoming vehicle if you suspect this is the case.
2. The SUV’s and Trucks have headlights that are placed higher than sedans. Thus the lights will be in you face more if you are driving an sedan.
3. Don’t look into the headlight of an oncoming Car, SUV or Truck as this will temporarily blind you.
4. Clean the inside of your windshield. A dirty filmy inside glass will cause the oncoming light to “scatter” and appear bigger than it is. Find out how to do this the right way and do it as often as need be.
5. A motorcycle with an led headlight is FAR safer to drive. Unless you ride one you wont understand but trust me, its VERY much safer.
I find the LED headlights in oncoming traffic extremely uncomfortable and blinding. I think they should be banned unless another alternative is provided quickly. With how blinding they are I expect the result will be more accidents.
Someone in the article said the bright glare is not dangerous, but I certainly disagree. I have often had to pull the curb and stop because the oncoming car’s glare made it impossible for me to see the road ahead of me. If I continued and there happened to be a pedestrian or an animal in my lane, I would surely hit them. That sounds dangerous to me. I see very little helpful information in the article. “Don’t look at the lights,” one person says! Patently ridiculous advice. When the approaching car comes around a corner or over a hill, you are already hit with the lights. Something needs to be done about this.
Rest assured absolutely nothing will be done to mitigate the problem. I am particularly interested in the age aspect of the issue: Older drivers are more likely to be impacted by the harsh, blinding glare of LED. Am I to understand that the drivers who are “young” and unaffected will not be in fact part of a future populace that will be affected as we who are now “old” are affected? Is there a plan to dissuade drivers of a certain age? And finally I happen to know “younger” drivers age 40 and up who do indeed experience the painful glare of LED . For people to say “It doesn’t bother me” is quite ridiculous
I am a “young” driver at 36 and have been having issues with these blinding lights for years. I drive a SUV ( an older Honda Pilot, and a Newer Jeep GC, so I am not lower than the newer vehicles. Some lights are so bright and blinding that I also have to slow my car and sometimes just creep down the road until the truck passes. Also on the highway when they are coming from behind, the lights shine so brightly in all my mirrors that it blinds me from seeing what’s in front of me. Extremely dangerous. Nevermind the fact that if I need to change lanes I can not see if there is a car on my sides because the lights just block out anything that could possibly be there. When the fog is out forget it. I just stay home at night, I’d rather not die.
Yet another case of the “unintended consequences” of the envirtonuts’ “green” agenda.
I often get other drivers flicking their high beams at me at night when I don’t have them on. I had my yearly car inspection and my lights were all checked, This is annoying.
Finally I have someplace to comment on this. These extra bright lights are blinding! Even if you look straight ahead it’s impossible to avoid the blinding glare. It is too dangerous. It is urgent that something be done asap.
Thanks for answering my question with this article! I’m often affected by the intense glare of many headlights, especially on smaller roads where you’re right next to oncoming traffic. It is distracting and makes safe driving more difficult.
I enjoyed reading the AAA article, as well as the plethora of comments. Yes, I am getting older, and supposedly part of the aging driver demographic. But at the same time, I think we can all agree with the facts as stated regarding the color and intensity of newer headlights, as well as their position being higher up with Jeeps, full size SUV’s and pickup trucks. I think it should also be mentioned that there seems to be more Jeeps, full sized SUV’s and pickup trucks on the roads these days; unfortunately more of a fashion statement than a necessity (at least where I live, Westchester County).
As mentioned in one of the comments below, I also recently purchased a pair of anti-glare yellow glasses for driving at night. I was immediately happy with my purchase; less than $10.
I am still somewhat annoyed by the glare from Jeeps, full sized SUV’s and pickup trucks, but it is less of a problem now. It’s an interim solution for a problem that won’t be going away anytime soon. If anything, it will only get worse as the older cars with regular headlights are retired, and people with disposable income trend more towards their vehicles as a fashion statement. 🌞
It’s not always the high beams that can be annoying and blinding, but the positioning of the headlights. I’ve often encountered vehicles like some Jeeps where the headlights are positioned so high on the vehicle that even low beams appear high because they are aimed directly your eyes. There should be some rule governing the positioning of headlights on vehicles to avoid that occurrence.
Lighting is pure phydicsband math.
NHSTA, DOT, etc should mandate a uniform headlight placement height off the pavement for all new vehickes (cars and trucks) sold after a certain date.
The comment re same here is absolutely correct.
The new Ford pickups, for example, are a HUGE problem, as are many SUVs..
And … it’s not just tech and/or placement. Jeep is using (or prrhaps offering as an option ?) a round headlight with a clear horizontal strip on its old timet looking basic vehicles that even on low beam is blinding if it hits a bump or in any way is coming up an incline.
Headlight aim is snother issue. Many oncoming vehicles have headlights askew, with one usually pointed at oncoming traffic and the other off in space.
Annual inspections are useless. They apparently don’t check or aim headlights, but instead just see if they work (,light up).
Sadly, even if height off the pavement, aim, and/or an auto dimming system (for those who “forget” to drop their high beams for oncoming traffic) is mandated, it takes many years for the national “fleet”
to be replaced or turn over and thrreby realize any gains. That time period has likely expanded due to the high cost of purchase and better vehicle reliability meaning less sales (ie useful life).
It seems like those government and agencies as well as those officials tasked with these issues have been so in name only.
Change and improvement won’t happen if it never starts somewhere.
For now there appears to be no real will or intent to do anything.
While reading this article another angel occurred to me. Why isn’t the focus on more adequate street lighting?
I just wrote a comment related to this – but it isn’t posted yet. The lights were tested by what they help a driver to see, but not how they might affect oncoming drivers. But the extra brightness could be useful if shining down toward the road to illuminate what the drivers need to see. (Although over use of lighting has other downsides, so roads should not be lit up to look like day). Road and lane edges, exit signs and other street signs and hazards could be better lit – and some of the newer LED and other lighting technology could usefully do this, aiming their lights at what we need to see but not at other drivers coming down the road).
I agree with you. PS You meant “another angle” I think rather than “angel” – but i hope you meet all kinds of helpful and caring angels too along your path. And not just the last kind (We should advocate for better policies, safer products, not just complicated inspections and expensive fixes.. and Please let us join with those in AAA and other good citizens and people from all places we meet along the roads in doing more to help since There should be no more untimely losses from very preventable hazards on the road!).