The RAC has called on the government to commission an independent study into headlight glare as research found that 85% of drivers believe it is getting worse. A survey from the RAC of 2,000 drivers found that 89% think that at least some headlights on the road are too bright. 28%, higher than ever before, think that the majority are.
Of the drivers who complained, 91% said they were dazzled while driving and 74% say that it happens regularly. In terms of the glare on drivers, 67% say they had to slow down considerably until they could see clearly again, while a similar amount, 64% believe some are so bright that they could risk accidents.
What’s more, a twentieth of drivers said that they had come close to being in a collision as a result, while almost a tenth said they found it had gotten so bad that they avoid driving at night altogether.
“Our figures suggest drivers are more concerned than ever about headlight glare, with a huge proportion wanting to see something done about it,” RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said. “We urgently need the Government to take a closer look at the issue, ideally by commissioning an independent study to understand what’s causing an increase in reports of dazzling and, most importantly, what can do be done to keep drivers safe.
It offers the following advice to deal with it on the road:
“Always use your rear-view mirror properly at night. Some newer cars have self-dimming rear-view mirrors that can reduce dazzle from vehicles behind – if you’re changing your car soon, look for one that has such a mirror fitted. But most drivers still need to manually adjust their mirrors in the dark to reduce glare. About half the drivers surveyed by the RAC who reported getting dazzled said they do so at night (54%).”
“Speak to your optometrist. Just 6% of drivers told the RAC they’d talked to their optician about glare. For those who wear glasses, a glare-minimising coating can help – something a quarter (25%) of affected drivers said they are benefitting from.”
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