Are headlights too bright ?

[john danson]

Seems like car and especially truck headlights have become so bright the last few years that the low beams on newer cars are brighter than the brights on older cars.In some cases it's almost a safety hazard because they're so blinding. Any thoughts ?

 

[Packerjohn]

I gonna add my 2 cents worth. You bet they are too bright. First, there are those halogens that almost blind you. Then there are "4 eyes"; those cars with 2 lights on each side. If that don't get you then there are all those trucks with their lights blinding anyone with a normal car. Many trucks are now "4 eyes". What next? 6 eyes or 8 eyes? When will the madness stop? They have MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers). They really need PABL (People Against Blinding Lights). Most people my age that I have talked to tell me that they absolutely refuse to drive at night unless some how it is necessary. One lane highways are becoming "death traps" at night.

 

[Lewkat]

Yes, those halogens which look blue are blinding. Not good and should not be permitted.

 

[Pappy]

Yes, and one reason I don’t drive at night anymore.

 

[Lizzie00]

Those headlights got a LOT brighter for me after cataract surgery. Ever since, i’ve become a daytime driver only.

 

[Ken N Tx]

Yes, those halogens which look blue are blinding. Not good and should not be permitted.

..Too bright! !

 

[Meanderer]

Welcome to Senior Forums, John!

 

[Chet]

You can focus or aim light downward for oncoming traffic. Why don't manufacturers do that? There is auto everything nowadays.

 

[Geezerette]

Yes they are too bright for me too. Part of the reason I don’t drIve at night any more either.
As for my old car, my windshield is kind of “sandblasted” from being parked outside during the sandy, dusty winds we get here, which causes more nighttime glare, and also because my windshield while tinted a bit, is nowhere as dark as the newer ones.

 

[911]

Vehicle manufacturers have to stay within the government’s regulations, which headlight brightness is included in the regulations. Here in PA, headlights are part of our state inspection that is done yearly for all vehicles. The state inspection garages have a machine that adjusts headlights according to regulations.

During the year 2008, I believe, vehicle manufacturers changed the type of headlight bulb by using Xenon. These bulbs are bright. To overcome them, AAA recommends that drivers redirect their line of vision to the right-side white line.

I have investigated accidents where the driver has told me he/she was blinded by the oncoming headlights. I would tell them, “I can believe that.”

 

[Don M.]

I, Too, noticed excessive glare from oncoming newer car headlight, a few years ago. So....I bought a couple pairs of "Amber Night Driving" clip on glasses to keep in the car/truck. They work quite well, and now, instead of a huge oncoming "Glare", I just see a pair of bright lights that aren't much of a problem. These night driving glasses only cost a few dollars....I paid $15 for two...and are a good safety feature for anyone who drives at night....especially on two lane roads. They block the glare, but still allow clear nighttime vision such that I can see things like a deer darting across the road....which in our area is a Very Common hazard.

 

[Gary O']

Are headlights too bright ?​

Any thoughts ?

Possibly an age thing, like macular degeneration

To overcome them, AAA recommends that drivers redirect their line of vision to the right-side white line.

Absolutely
Especially during deer migration

 

[911]

Are headlights too bright ?​

Possibly an age thing, like macular degeneration

Absolutely
Especially during deer migration

You are correct, Gary. Deer don’t pay attention to vehicles when they are on the run. However, if they happen to be running across a road and look into the headlights, for whatever reason, they tend to stop and stare into the headlights.

I’ll tell you what, I have seen deer get hit on the interstate by a semi going 70 mph and what’s left of the deer is just hunks of meat scattered about. That deer looks like he swallowed a hand grenade.

 

[Gary O']

I have seen deer get hit on the interstate by a semi going 70 mph and what’s left of the deer is just hunks of meat scattered about. That deer looks like he swallowed a hand grenade.

Yup
Hwy 97 between Bend OR and Klamath Falls is a veritable gauntlet
There's gut splotches about every quarter mile
There's a stretch south of Chemult that many deer choose as their crossing
Eyes lining the roads
If and when I do need to travel that route, I get behind those semis (about three to four car lengths back) and pray
The fall and spring migrations are deadly

 

[Gary O']

if they happen to be running across a road and look into the headlights, for whatever reason, they tend to stop and stare into the headlights.

They're blinded
It's been said to cut the headlights so they can regain their vision
I don't think there's enough time/distance for that

 

[StarSong]

Did a little research:

According to John Bullough, Director of Transportation and Safety Lighting Programs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, federal regulations stipulate high beams on cars cannot exceed a candlepower of 75,000 cadela. The limit for low-beams are 20,000 to 30,000 candela. Bullough says halogen, HID and LED lights all have similar power, but the bluish/whitish lights seems brighter to the human eye.

“Yellow light is a longer wavelength so it passed through the structure of the eye without much difficulty,” says Dr. Erik van Kuijik, Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Neurosciences at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

Blue and white lights have a shorter wavelength, so that scatters more of the light.

“The light travels in many directions and it’s that scatter we perceive as glare,” Dr. van Kujik said.

The phenomenon becomes more pronounced when people hit their 40s and 50s, when the lenses in human eyes start to become more discolored.

Another reason headlights seem brighter is that more SUVs and truck are on the roads compared to twenty years ago, according to Russ Rader with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Those vehicles sit higher on the road.

Rader also points out headlight aim can be inconsistent among vehicles due to quality control at the factory, so headlights on some cars are aimed higher than they should be. Headlight aim can also shift when a car hits a pothole or is in a fender bender. Even a less than one-degree change can make a big difference.


Bullough conducted a study of vehicles in New York and found 60-percent of the headlights on vehicles were “misaimed.”
https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2018/03/21/good-question-headlights-bright/

 

[911]

Did a little research:

According to John Bullough, Director of Transportation and Safety Lighting Programs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, federal regulations stipulate high beams on cars cannot exceed a candlepower of 75,000 cadela. The limit for low-beams are 20,000 to 30,000 candela. Bullough says halogen, HID and LED lights all have similar power, but the bluish/whitish lights seems brighter to the human eye.

“Yellow light is a longer wavelength so it passed through the structure of the eye without much difficulty,” says Dr. Erik van Kuijik, Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Neurosciences at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

Blue and white lights have a shorter wavelength, so that scatters more of the light.

“The light travels in many directions and it’s that scatter we perceive as glare,” Dr. van Kujik said.

The phenomenon becomes more pronounced when people hit their 40s and 50s, when the lenses in human eyes start to become more discolored.

Another reason headlights seem brighter is that more SUVs and truck are on the roads compared to twenty years ago, according to Russ Rader with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Those vehicles sit higher on the road.

Rader also points out headlight aim can be inconsistent among vehicles due to quality control at the factory, so headlights on some cars are aimed higher than they should be. Headlight aim can also shift when a car hits a pothole or is in a fender bender. Even a less than one-degree change can make a big difference.


Bullough conducted a study of vehicles in New York and found 60-percent of the headlights on vehicles were “misaimed.”
https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2018/03/21/good-question-headlights-bright/

Most of what’s printed is beyond my scientific brain. I do know that all headlights have adjustment screws. There is an instrument that the mechanic puts on the headlights, one at a time. There is a screw for adjusting the headlight vertically and one for adjusting horizontally. Each vehicle has their own specification.

 

[ClassicRockr]

I bought yellow driving glasses just for this problem. Anytime I have to drive at night, I put them on. They really cut down on that new headlight glare! Sure glad I got them.

 

[win231]

One of the biggest improvements on newer cars is the headlights. I don't know about all makes, but I love the headlights on my 2019 Altima. Instead of beams, the lights produce a perfectly-even flood of light that goes completely around the car, even on the sides. I think they are LED's. On low beam they couldn't possibly cause any glare to other drivers; they are not excessively bright & on low beam, they are below eye level to other drivers.
Some people (mainly young people) may modify or replace the factory headlights & that may be the problem. And older eyes may be more sensitive to glare. My sister had to get special glasses for night driving that reduce glare.

 

[fuzzybuddy]

About deer running into you. I saw on one of those animal programs that deer, and most prey animals will run 90 degrees from you. It's a trick of geometry. By running at that angle, it puts more space between the prey and attacker. Deer don't back up well, so if they are on the side of the road, and you come along; they will run 90 degrees from you, which just happens to be right into your path. Unfortunately, I can tell you this is true, at least 4 times.
As to the headlights, I'm not sure it's the brightness of the headlight, but the aging of the human lens. Everybody begins to form cataracts as they get older. That has a tendency to spread light onto the retina and flooding it with light.

 

[john danson]

I gonna add my 2 cents worth. You bet they are too bright. First, there are those halogens that almost blind you. Then there are "4 eyes"; those cars with 2 lights on each side. If that don't get you then there are all those trucks with their lights blinding anyone with a normal car. Many trucks are now "4 eyes". What next? 6 eyes or 8 eyes? When will the madness stop? They have MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers). They really need PABL (People Against Blinding Lights). Most people my age that I have talked to tell me that they absolutely refuse to drive at night unless some how it is necessary. One lane highways are becoming "death traps" at night.

Are headlights too bright ?​

Possibly an age thing, like macular degeneration

Absolutely
Especially during deer migration

Are headlights too bright ?​

Possibly an age thing, like macular degeneration

Absolutely
Especially during deer migration

 

[jerry old]

It is the height of these monster SUV's, Pickups-the higher the vehicle, the more the beams will come straight to your windshield.
Parallel parking -you can't see to back out, these monster vehicles are a danger.

What are we to do-everybody buy a monster truck or SUV so we won't be blinded?
The next time your in a parking lot, walk up to one of these monster vehicles, measure the headlight height, then measure your vehicle.

 

[john danson]

I gonna add my 2 cents worth. You bet they are too bright. First, there are those halogens that almost blind you. Then there are "4 eyes"; those cars with 2 lights on each side. If that don't get you then there are all those trucks with their lights blinding anyone with a normal car. Many trucks are now "4 eyes". What next? 6 eyes or 8 eyes? When will the madness stop? They have MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers). They really need PABL (People Against Blinding Lights). Most people my age that I have talked to tell me that they absolutely refuse to drive at night unless some how it is necessary. One lane highways are becoming "death traps" at night.

Are headlights too bright ?​

Possibly an age thing, like macular degeneration

Absolutely
Especially during deer migration

Are headlights too bright ?​

Possibly an age thing, like macular degeneration

Absolutely
Especially during deer migration

 

[Chet]

Another thing to consider is the cleanliness of the front window. There could be a barely noticeable haze covering it from cigarette smoke, exhaled breath or just general things afloat in the air. Many years ago my sister-in-law had car problems so I got behind the wheel when we tried to tow it. Oncoming headlights essentially lit up the front window and practically eliminated it's transparency. In this case it wasn't an oncoming headlight intensity issue but a problem of another sort.

 

[debodun]

Worse when it's raining at night, then there's the added glare off the wet road surface.