If you’ve found yourself squinting into the abyss lately while an oncoming SUV beams what feels like the power of a thousand suns into your retinas, you aren’t alone. It’s the topic every driver seems to be talking about at the moment: headlight glare.
The good news? The RAC has officially stepped up to the plate, calling on the Government to finally tackle the “glaring” problem of overly bright headlights. As we highlighted back in our October post, the Department for Transport (DfT) has been under increasing pressure to review these standards, and it looks like the momentum is finally building.
What’s the Big Deal with Modern Headlights?
According to a massive survey of 2,000 drivers by the RAC, a staggering nine-in-ten (89%) think at least some car headlights on the road today are too bright. It’s not just a minor annoyance; for 7% of drivers, the glare is so bad they’ve stopped driving at night altogether.
This “blinded by the light” effect is a serious safety risk. When you’re dazzled, it can take up to five seconds for your vision to recover. If you’re doing 60mph, you’ve just covered 160 metres, the length of 40 cars, basically driving blind.
Why is it Getting Worse?
There isn’t just one culprit, but a few factors are coming together to create a perfect storm of dazzle:
- The LED Revolution: While LED lights are brilliant for the person behind the wheel, their “bluer,” more focused beam is much harsher on the human eye than the old-school yellow halogen bulbs.
- The Rise of the SUV: Because SUVs sit higher off the ground, their headlights are often at the exact eye level of drivers in “normal” cars like hatchbacks or saloons.
- Misaligned Beams: The RAC found that roughly 1.6 million cars fail their MOT every year because of poorly aimed headlights.
- Illegal Retrofits: As we’ve noted previously, many drivers are illegally swapping halogen bulbs for LED ones. These don’t sit correctly in the housing and scatter light everywhere, blinding everyone else on the road.
How to Protect Yourself (and Others)
While we wait for the Government to finish their long-awaited review, there are things you can do right now to stay safe:
- Check Your Alignment: Even a brand-new car can have headlights that are slightly off. Ask your garage to check the aim during your next service.
- Look Away: If an oncoming car is blinding you, don’t look directly at the lights. Follow the left-hand kerb or the edge of the road to keep your bearings.
- Keep it Clean: A dirty windscreen or even dirty glasses can catch the light and make glare feel ten times worse.
- Use Your Mirror: Most modern cars have a “dip” switch on the rear-view mirror or an auto-dimming feature. Make sure you’re using it to block out the high-beams behind you.
How Fleet Service GB Can Help
For those of us managing business drivers, this isn’t just about comfort—it’s about compliance and duty of care. At Fleet Service GB, we help our clients stay ahead of these risks by:
- Regular Vehicle Maintenance: Ensuring every vehicle in your fleet has its headlights professionally aligned to reduce third-party dazzle.
- Driver Awareness: Providing training that includes night-driving safety and how to handle glare effectively.
- Digital Compliance: Using our Achieve Software Hub to track MOT results and maintenance schedules so you know your fleet is always road-legal.
FAQs About Fleet Management
What is the “grey fleet”? This refers to employees who use their own personal cars for business trips. Even though the company doesn’t own the car, the employer is still legally responsible for ensuring it is safe and roadworthy.
How does telematics save money? Telematics provides data on fuel use, idling, and driver behaviour. By coaching drivers to be smoother and safer, fleets typically see a 12% reduction in fuel costs and a 24% drop in crash rates.
What is a “Live Driver Score”? Used within our Achieve Driver App, this is a real-time score that gives drivers instant feedback on their safety and efficiency, encouraging a self-correcting safety culture.
FAQs About Fleet Service GB (FSGB)
What makes FSGB different from other providers? We are a co-ownership business, meaning our team is personally invested in your success. We never outsource—when you call us, you speak to one of our in-house experts in under 20 seconds.
Can you manage mixed fleets? Yes. We manage everything from cars and vans to trucks, plant machinery, and even 2-3 wheelers.
What is the Achieve Software Hub? It’s our proprietary, in-house developed platform that gives fleet managers total transparency. It handles maintenance, accidents, risk, and compliance all in one single, unified place.
Tired of being left in the dark? Visit Fleet Service GB to see how our tech-led, people-focused approach can make your fleet safer and more efficient.