Dazzle complaints prompts review of vehicle headlights

A significant majority of British motorists, 82 per cent, are increasingly worried about being dazzled by vehicle headlights as the evenings draw in earlier, a new survey has revealed.

- NEIL LANCEFIELD

The poll, commissioned by the RAC and involving 1,701 regular UK drivers, highlights the intense brightness of some modern headlights as the primary cause of anxiety for those driving in the dark.

The recent change in clocks, which saw them go back an hour on Sunday, means the sun now sets earlier, leading to more commutes taking place in darkness.

Of the 38 per cent of drivers who admitted to feeling nervous about nighttime driving, three-quarters (75 per cent) directly attributed this to the glare from oncoming vehicles. This compares to 63 per cent who found it harder to spot hazards, and 41 per cent who struggled to judge the speed of other cars.

A government-commissioned report into headlight glare, conducted by consultancy TRL, is anticipated to be published in the near future.