Oxfordshire motorists find driving at night “scary” and "difficult” due to headlight glare
Research from the RAC shows that more people are refusing to drive at night
Motorists in Oxfordshire are telling us they find driving at night "scary" and "difficult" due to 'blinding' headlights, as research from the RAC shows more people are refusing to drive at night.
A quarter of motorists who find vehicle headlights too bright are driving less at night because of the issue, a new survey suggests.
The poll of 1,866 UK drivers, commissioned by the RAC, also indicated that 22% wish they could reduce their night driving.
We’ve been in Thame to find out what people think and if it stops them:
The research also shows that nearly all drivers surveyed agreed that headlights can be too intense, whilst more than a third (36%) believe that many are too bright.
Nick Newitt, an Oxfordshire mechanic at Thame One Stop Auto Centre, says that it is largely due to the way that the headlights are aligned.
He also says that only yesterday he failed one car as its headlights were pointing towards the sky, almost “shooting pigeons”.
‘It’s having a profound impact on people’
The polls suggest three out of five (61%) respondents who suffer from headlight glare say the problem has worsened in the previous 12 months, with only 26% disagreeing.
Some people say the issue leaves them feeling tired and fatigued, while others say it has resulted in them suffering headaches, migraines and/or eye pain.
RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis said: "With the exception of potholes, few motoring topics seem to rouse as much interest among the nation's drivers right now as bright headlights.
"What has gone from a mere frustration is now having a profound impact on people - whether that's momentarily being blinded while driving or struggling to judge the speed or position of a vehicle ahead.
"The fact such a high proportion of people are also driving less at night - or wish they could - is remarkable and demonstrates the need for glare to be tackled.
"This does, however, need to be balanced with the potential road safety benefits afforded to people driving vehicles with brighter headlights.
"We're pleased to be able to dispel some myths around the topic, such as the one that headlight glare is something that affects only older drivers."
Six people a year lose their life
Department for Transport (DfT) figures show that since 2013 there have been an average of 280 crashes on Britain's roads every year where dazzling headlights were a contributory factor.
Of these, six a year involved someone losing their life.
The RAC believes headlights appear brighter on modern cars because the use of bi-xenon or LED rather than traditional halogen bulbs.
A DfT spokesperson said: "We know there is increased public concern about headlamp glare - that's why we have commissioned independent research to better understand the root causes, which will help identify potential mitigations.
"This project is expected to conclude in the summer, and we will update on its findings as soon as possible.
"There is also work under way at an international level on headlight glare prevention, which we will consider."