Blinded by the light: drivers say headlight glare is getting worse
Tue, 17 Feb 2026
Nearly 6 in 10 drivers who have been dazzled by car headlights this winter insist the problem is getting worse.
The research by the RAC has also uncovered 1 in 4 motorists are either driving less at night, or have given up driving when it’s dark altogether.
While 43% of those aged 75 and above admit this, a surprising third of drivers aged under 35 are also driving less at night due to headlight dazzle.
Challenges of headlight glare include struggling to spot road hazards or see road markings, being unable to judge the speed or distance of oncoming vehicles—and most alarmingly, being temporarily blinded.
"Dazzle from headlights is now a perennial problem for drivers and it’s clearer than ever that they want to see something done," says RAC senior policy officer Rod Dennis.
“For some, it’s just a mild annoyance, but for others, it’s tangibly affecting their lives as drivers.”
Affected motorists say they are seeing friends or family less, suffering an impacted social life and finding it harder to attend healthcare appointments because of struggles to drive in the dark.
Interestingly, almost half of drivers who said their latest vehicle had brighter headlights than before admitted they felt safer as a result. However, this still means the remainder either felt no safer or less safe, even when driving a vehicle with brighter headlights.
Headlight glare is most acute on unlit roads, particularly in rural locations, says the RAC. This indicates the high degrees of contrast on stretches without streetlights is causing problems.
Drivers are split on whether vehicle type plays a part in headlight glare, though. Half believe the growth of SUVs is making the problem worse… yet 42% don’t think any type of vehicle is the problem.
However, more than 7 in 10 are clear it's the white light from modern LED headlights that's causing them the most problems.
The RAC is now looking to the government for the next stage of its research into the issue, while other European governments are also looking into headlight glare.
“Headlight glare is a complicated area as there’s sadly no simple ‘fix’ that will eradicate it,” says the RAC.
“But for the first time ever there is now a concerted effort, both in the UK and internationally, to tackle it.”
