It seems that more and more drivers are complaining of headlight glare, but is it getting worse or is it just a perception? I was recently sent an article from the Albany Times Union that addressed this issue. The following information is from that article.

According to Dr. John Bullough of Mount Sinai’s Light and Health Research Center, Albany, there are three parts to the answer: “It’s partly a change in the technology, it’s partly, I believe, a change in our vehicles, and I think it’s partly a change in the way that we maintain headlights on our cars,” Bullough said.

First, LED headlights have become more common. LEDs are more efficient than halogens but emit a more white/blue light, while halogens look more yellow. The difference in color makes an LED headlight seem brighter than a halogen with the same light output.

Secondly, more people are driving SUVs and pickup trucks. Because those types of vehicles are taller, their headlights are more likely to shine into the eyes of drivers in cars lower to the ground. Headlight standards are the same for sedans and wagons as for SUVs and pickup trucks.

But most importantly, Bullough said, many headlights are simply mis-aimed, pointing up into drivers’ eyes (or lower, at the ground) instead of straight out at the road. In a 2010 study of vertical aim, Bullough and others at RPI’s Lighting Research Center found that, of 100 in-use vehicles, 60% had at least one headlight mis-aimed. The study also included a sample of 20 new cars, of which 45% had at least one headlight that was outside the tolerances set by the Society of Automotive Engineers. “Less than a degree can make a huge difference in creating a lot of glare for an oncoming driver,” Bullough said.

A few states require that headlight aim be checked as part of inspections, but New York is not one of them.

A solution to headlight glare is in the works, however. In February of last year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration authorized adaptive driving beam headlights, which shine more light on unoccupied areas of the road and less light on occupied areas, like at oncoming cars or drivers in front of you. They use cameras to detect headlights and taillights and dim the light only in those areas of the road.

Adaptive driving beam headlights are not on U.S. roads yet — manufacturers must complete a battery of tests to prove the headlights work as intended –but have been used in Europe for around 10 years, Bullough said.

So, if you are finding oncoming headlight glare to be an increasing problem, you are probably right. Let’s hope for a workable solution soon.