There is a rising amount of anecdotal evidence, with over half of UK drivers surveyed reporting that they either don't drive at night, or reduce night driving if they can, due to being dazzled by oncoming vehicles. Well, finally, there is now actual data to support this claim.

TRL, in a report commissioned by the Department for Transport (DfT), used real word data collection, combined with a National Driver Survey through the RAC Driver Opinion Panel.

Many road users experience modern vehicle headlights as too bright, especially the ones with whiter light. Now apart from what riders and drivers say, there has been actual testing, using a car equipped with a luminance camera and other sensors and, no surprises here, it has correlated what people are saying. Basically higher luminance levels, means more glare experienced by road users.

This has come after over 50 hours of road testing, factoring in the pitch and roll of the vehicle being driven, the type of vehicle and the geometry of the road i.e. curves, bends, hills etc.

The TRL report recommends various measures to mitigate this problem including regular national surveys to track trends in riders' and drivers' experience with glare. Some guidance for the public on how to cope with stressful night driving is also recommended, as is further research into LED lights and vehicle height. 
The research actually backs up road users in their complaints about dazzle at night and is a step in the right direction towards remedying the problem. It is not quite as simple as it might seem as drivers and riders benefit from the extra visibility afforded by the new headlights if they are on their vehicle, so what is a loss of safety for oncoming traffic which is being dazzled, is a win for the driver of the vehicle with the enhanced super bright lights. Let's hope some solutions to this complex problem are found soon.

Any thoughts? Let us know at [email protected] or on Facebook