Road safety campaigners are calling for the Government to do more to address the issue of bright headlights dazzling drivers on the road, as a Department for Transport investigation continues.
Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood said the DfT's assessment of the safety of LED headlights does not show "any discernible trend to suggest that advances in lighting technology are contributing negatively".
A Labour MP, Graeme Downie, who has raised the issue in Parliament, said some motorists may not be aware of the impact their car lights have on other drivers.
Campaigners from the AA backed the calls for more research to be done, saying that LED lights are causing Britons to be "blinded".
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Experts are highlighting the continued issues with bright LED headlights on the road
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According to data from the Department for Transport, 216 incidents in 2023 saw "dazzling headlights" as a contributing factor.
While this was a rise from 211 in the year prior, it is a dramatic drop compared to 315 incidents in 2017 and 309 a decade ago.
Last year, the DfT commissioned the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) to conduct an investigation into headlight glare to measure varying light levels experienced by drivers in real-world conditions.
The project is expected to run until Spring 2025 and will help form the basis of recommendations for the DfT who could introduce new rules in the future.
Road safety campaigners hope the analysis will help consider how various factors affect the visibility of drivers. This could include the headlight intensity of other vehicles, differing weather conditions and ambient lighting.
Downie, the MP for Dunfermline and Dollar, said his constituents had contacted him about the impact bright LED headlights have on their ability to drive.
He added: "While they might illuminate the road well for the driver, they dazzle in the eyes of other road users and could be dangerous.
"In addition, technology such as automatic beam control that is more common means some drivers are less aware of the impact their own lighting might have on others."
Edmund King, President of the AA, emphasised research from the motoring organisation which found that three-quarters of motorists say they have been blinded by oncoming headlights.
He also said drivers may be more affected nowadays as a result of the rise in the number of SUVs. Higher vehicles could result in the light beam directly in the eyes of owners of smaller cars.
The expert added: "Our members tell us that they are feeling the strain of brighter headlights more than ever before, as well as brighter brake and traffic lights. Conversely, they also say brighter lights enhance road safety.
"The Government-sponsored investigation into the use of LED lights on our roads should help clarify this issue further, as well as provide appropriate measures where needed."
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Results of the headlight study are expected to be published in the summer
GETTYIn a written reply to Graeme Downie, Lilian Greenwood said: "National collision statistics, which can record headlamp dazzle as a contributory factor, do not show any discernible trend to suggest that advances in lighting technology are contributing negatively to road vehicle collisions.
"However, noting increased public concern, [the] Government has commissioned independent research to better understand the root causes of headlamp glare and develop potential countermeasures. This work is underway and is due to deliver in summer 2025."
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