Headlights to be reviewed after drivers complain of being 'blinded' at night

The government has been encouraged to take a closer look at the design of cars and headlamps on UK roads after drivers' skepticism of the draught from approaching headlights. LED headlamps, which are increasingly popular in new cars, are causing them to malfunction and making it impossible to drive at night, according to drivers. The Department of Transport (DfT)'s study into the subject has yet to be published, but the BBC has learned that the government now intends to conduct a new inquiry into the causes and remedies. New steps will be included in the government's forthcoming Road Safety Strategy, reflecting what is becoming an increasingly tense problem for road users.

Both Ruth Goldsworthy and Sally Burt say that bright headlights make it impossible for them to attend their weekly SO SOund choir meetings in Totton, Hampshire, and that their weekly SOund choir meetings are difficult.

Some of the lights are so brilliant they are blinded by them for seconds,

Ruth says. The LED headlight beam is more precise and brighter than the more diffuse light from halogen lamps used in older vehicles.

I'm not sure where to look, I'm looking into the gutter,

Sally says. If someone else offers to drive, they will both be relieved. As the winter evenings approach, and especially after the clocks change, more people are driving in the dark, night driving becomes a bigger issue.

Linda, a Bristol girl, told BBC 5 Live's Nicky Campbell that the brightness was unnecessary and horrific.It actually hurts my eyes because it's so brilliant. So, I try to avoid driving at night because it is such traumatic experience for me.

She described having to raise her hand to block the light when driving because she

can't see what's in front

on the road. Mike, a bus driver in Scarborough, was also concerned that the brilliant lights could lead to confusion on the roads.

You can't tell if these cars are flashing or not," he said.

According to road safety consultant Rob Heard, the issue is getting worse for senior citizens, whose eyes take about nine seconds to recover from glare, relative to one second for a 16-year-old.

In severe cases, we may need to stop before our sight can recover,

he said. According to a survey conducted by the RAC motoring group, more than a third of drivers were concerned about getting behind the wheel as the evenings became darker. According to three quarters of respondents, driving was getting more difficult due to more visible lights. Rod Dennis, the RAC's senior policy officer, said that so far no progress has been made on combating glare, with laws governing headlights dating back to 1989.

We know headlight glare is frustrating for several drivers, especially as the evenings get darker,

a Dft spokesperson said.

What to do in the face of brighter headlamps:

Source: College of Optometrists

New research

The findings of last winter's government-funded study into causes and effects of glare are now expected in the next two weeks, according to the DfT. They will inform the forthcoming Road Safety Initiative, which is also expected to tighten regulations on drink-driving and eye-sight examinations for older drivers. The BBC reports that the government is funding new study into the role of vehicle design in causing glare and potential solutions, which will lead to international discussion of the subject. Drivers are retrofitting their cars, swapping old halogen bulbs with LEDs, a driver still well understood source of glare. The housing for halogen bulbs is not compatible with LED bulbs, and a retrofitted vehicle will not pass its annual MOT inspection. The DfT announced that as part of the government's new program, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has stepped up surveillance to prohibit the selling of illegal retrofit headlamp bulbs.

Seeing better

According to Thomas Broberg, Volvo's senior advisor for road safety, cars with LED lights can raise road safety by assisting drivers to see better. However, avoiding dazzle was equally important, he said.

I would say poor targeting of the headlights and also the road shape are the key factors for glare,

he said. To shield oncoming motorists, the beam must point more prominently downwards for larger vehicles, such as SUVs, where the lights are higher off the ground. However, the angle can be changed by how many passengers it is carrying. According to Mr Broberg, some new cars with adaptive functions adjust the lamps automatically when there is a change in load, but cars without that will need manual adjustment. Automatic headlamp dipping is also available on some new cars, which reduces the light when an approaching vehicle is detected. However, Daniel Harriman-McCartney, a clinical advisor at the College of Optometrists, said that automatic dimming functions can be

slow to Around 250 accidents each year are attributed to dazzling headlights, but there are no reports that brighter lights are causing more accidents than ever, according to the RAC. Instead, worried motorists could simply be

taking the risk off the road

by not driving at night, which could have a huge social effect, according to the RAC's Mr Dennis. He wants to see a move that

strikes a balance. "We don't want to go back to worse headlights. It is about what is bright enough.