By Donna Easto
On a trip back to Lumby at about 9 p.m. we were literally blinded by the lights of
a passing truck. We’re used to some difficulty with oncoming headlights, but this was on a whole different level. So, I decided to do a little reading on what seems to be a real and present danger on our roads. Transport Canada launched a national consultation about the topic; however it was open only from March 6 to April 20 and it seems that many of us were unaware of the opportunity to express our concerns. And, changes take time!
From my research I learned that modern LED and HID headlights are far brighter than older halogen lights. The glare from newer trucks and SUVs can make driving at night not only uncomfortable, but often downright dangerous. There are a number of reasons why this problem is getting worse. LED headlights are more intense than older lights, SUVs and trucks are higher, aiming light directly into oncoming vehicles’ windshields, and to human eyes blue-white headlights are especially harsh. Additionally, headlights might be poorly aimed from the factory, or after repairs, and aftermarket conversion kits are often too bright, or at times not installed correctly. Natural challenges presented by glare on wet roads, snow and rain, only make the problem worse.
There is some hope on the horizon. In Europe adaptive headlights automatically dim in a way that restricts the amount of light shining into oncoming vehicles while still lighting the way ahead. Apparently these systems are slowly emerging in North America. There are different types of advanced forward lighting systems:
- Adaptive front lighting: change the direction and pattern of the beams based on traffic and the vehicles steering and speed
- Cornering lights: shine light 90-degrees in either direction when the vehicle is turning at an intersection
- Auto-dimming headlights: automatically switch from high to low beams when the system detects lights from an oncoming vehicle
- Adaptive driving beam: these lights function like high-beams but will not blind other vehicles by selectively extinguishing part of the lights.
Recognizing that headlight glare is a real and present safety issue, there is much discussion around new rules and improved technology including: better headlight aiming, automatic levelling systems, less blue in lights, enforcement against illegal aftermarket lights, and better beam cutoff designs. And, drivers, if you recognize that your headlights are particularly bright or poorly aimed, please dim them when encountering oncoming traffic.
