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How Many UK Drivers Are Dazzled by Bright Headlights?

Published 5 min read By Live Accident Tracker Editorial

Quick answer: Almost all UK drivers think some headlights are too bright — 36% say most are and a further 59% say some are, according to an RAC study of 1,866 drivers published in February 2025. A quarter of the drivers affected by bright headlights now drive less at night, and 5% have stopped driving at night altogether. Yet police records list dazzling headlights as a factor in an average of only 280 collisions a year — a gap this article explains.

What drivers told the RAC

The RAC study covered 1,866 UK drivers holding a full, current licence and driving at least once a month, weighted to match licence age and gender profiles. Fieldwork took place in late December 2024, and the findings were published on 17 February 2025.

  • 36% of drivers believe most vehicle headlights are too bright, and a further 59% say some of them are.
  • 41% of drivers under 35 say most headlights are too bright, as do 38% of drivers of conventional hatchbacks, estates and saloons, against 29% of drivers of higher vehicles such as SUVs.
  • 61% of drivers who suffer from headlight glare say the problem has worsened in just 12 months. Only 26% disagree.
  • 97% of drivers say they are affected by glare in some form.

How dazzle changes driving

  • A quarter (25%) of drivers who find headlights too bright are driving less at night as a result, and 22% say they wish they could.
  • 5% of those drivers have stopped driving at night altogether.
  • Of those who drive less, 75% do so because intense headlights make driving uncomfortable or more difficult, and 49% because they feel less safe.
  • 59% of drivers say dazzle makes driving more difficult and uncomfortable, rising to 65% for drivers aged 65 to 74 and 67% for those 75 and over.
  • 17% say bright headlights leave them tired and fatigued while driving, and 16% have suffered headaches, migraines and eye pain.

Dazzle also makes it harder to read the road: 79% of affected drivers find it hard to tell when some vehicles are indicating, 77% struggle to judge the position of oncoming vehicles, 74% their speed and 67% how far away they are.

What causes the glare

  • 72% of glare sufferers blame whiter-coloured headlights, most likely LEDs or bi-xenon lights. Only 3% blame yellower ones, most likely halogen, while 11% say both and 15% are not sure.
  • Height matters too. 56% of drivers of conventional cars blame higher vehicles like SUVs, while only 28% of drivers of higher vehicles agree. 65% of higher-vehicle drivers say no particular type of vehicle is responsible, against 39% of normal-height drivers.

TRL's report, published on 5 November 2025 and commissioned by the Department for Transport, combined a national driver survey with over 50 hours of on-road testing using a car fitted with a luminance camera. It found a strong correlation between higher luminance and the glare occupants experienced, rising with vehicle type, road geometry, and the pitch and roll of the car. In the TRL work, more than half of UK drivers had reduced or stopped driving at night, or would do so if possible, because of headlight brightness.

The casualty figures tell a smaller story

The survey numbers are large. The casualty numbers are not, and the difference needs explaining.

  • Since 2013, an average of 280 collisions a year had dazzling headlights as a contributory factor, according to official government statistics.
  • Of these, six a year involved someone losing their life.
  • The count only includes collisions where the attending police officer can be sure dazzle was a factor.

That last point is the key. A contributory factor is not a proven cause, and an officer can only record dazzle when it is clear at the scene. Most dazzle leaves no trace: a driver is blinded for a few seconds, slows down and carries on. If that ends in a near miss rather than a crash, it never reaches the casualty figures. The survey measures what drivers feel and do; the casualty count measures what police can record.

What is being done about it

TRL recommends regular national surveys to track glare, public information campaigns about its risks, further research into LED headlamps and vehicle height, and a review of lighting standards, shifting the focus from luminous intensity to luminance.

The RAC's senior policy officer, Rod Dennis, said: "While drivers clearly benefit from high-performing headlights, it's important this doesn't lead to others suffering the effects of dazzle, so a balance needs to be struck."

The College of Optometrists says motorists must always wear their prescribed glasses or contact lenses for driving, including at night, and anyone with vision issues while driving should contact their local optometrist. Keeping the windscreen clean reduces glare, and dipped headlights in poor light avoid dazzling others. Dark evenings also bring more collisions for other reasons: see why 5pm collisions jump after the clocks go back. For stopping distances on poor grip, see our stopping distance calculator; for what is happening on Britain's roads now, see today's accident reports and UK road accidents by council.

How these numbers were counted

Survey figures: the RAC's headlight glare study of 1,866 UK drivers, fieldwork late December 2024, published 17 February 2025: RAC: Quarter of drivers affected by bright headlights drive less at night.

Collision figures are official government statistics as reported in the RAC release: 280 collisions a year on average since 2013 where dazzling headlights were a contributory factor, six fatal a year. The TRL findings come from TRL's report "Glare from vehicle lighting on UK roads" (PPR2069, October 2025), commissioned by the Department for Transport, as summarised by the RAC: TRL research reveals causes of glare from vehicle lights.

Survey percentages are drivers' views, not casualty counts. The latest year of data can be revised as police reports are finalised.

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