According to a new survey, more than half of drivers who suffer glare from headlights believe the problem is getting worse.

What is headlight glare?

Glare is a light source that interferes with your vision. Those who drive at night time are already at several visual disadvantages and one of them is glare from the headlights.  Glare from headlights can cause drivers to be dazzled and disorientated.

What the survey says

A survey by RAC indicated 54% of people who believe car headlights are too bright say they are dazzled more regularly now than a year ago.

Sports utility vehicles sit higher on the road and 1,215 respondents blamed the popularity of SUVs for the increase in glare. Survey respondents also noted the use of xenon and LED headlights and drivers not adjusting their lights when carrying different loads for the increase in glare.

What happens when drivers are dazzled by headlight glare?

The latest figures provided by Department for Transport show the number of people injured in crashes caused by a driver being dazzled by headlights on Britain’s roads increased by 9% year-on-year to 392 in 2017, with a further six people killed.

Rod Dennis, a spokesman for RAC said: “The dazzling effect of another driver’s headlights isn’t just uncomfortable – in some cases it can be nothing short of dangerous, making us lose sight of the road for a short time.

“So it’s concerning to see that a greater proportion of drivers have reported problems with glare this year than last year.

“The issue of glare is a complex one and it’s not as straightforward as saying one type of lightbulb causes more of a dazzling effect than another.

“There are a range of reasons why a driver might be dazzled, from a slight misalignment of a headlight, the difference in ride height of different vehicles and even individual people’s vision.”