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Road Safety: Headlight Glare
08 May 2024
Lead MP
Martin Vickers
Brigg and Immingham
Con
Responding Minister
Anthony Browne
Tags
TransportForeign AffairsBenefits & WelfareMental HealthLocal Government
Word Count: 3670
Other Contributors: 4
At a Glance
Martin Vickers raised concerns about road safety: headlight glare in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
Mr Vickers asks the Minister to bring together car manufacturers, lighting industry representatives, eyecare professionals, neurologists, and other interested parties to better understand headlight glare. He suggests sponsoring research by a health protection institute to establish safety standards for headlights and limit blue light spectrum. Legal limits should be set for blue light in vehicle headlights, guidance provided during MOTs on inappropriate after-market LED bulbs installation, and international efforts to address the issue.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Mr Vickers is concerned about the excessive brightness of modern headlights, which cause discomforting glare for drivers and potentially increase road accidents. He cites a study by the Royal Automobile Club showing that 89% of UK drivers think some or most vehicle headlights are too bright. The issue disproportionately affects older drivers due to conditions like early-stage cataracts. Many drivers restrict their night driving, leading to social isolation and under-reporting of glare issues.
Andrea Jenkyns
Con
West Yorkshire
According to the latest figures in her area of Leeds, there were 1,585 personal injury collisions last year. She believes local councils should proactively implement measures such as speed cameras to prevent accidents rather than waiting for an incident to occur.
Carla Lockhart
DUP
Upper Bann
Echoing the debate's topic, Carla Lockhart commended the hon. Gentleman and pointed out that an investigation revealed 44% of drivers believe headlight dazzle is caused by misaligned headlights. She proposed that MOT centres could play a more proactive role in ensuring proper alignment. Ms Lockhart supports Mr Vickers's call for more regulations than just MOT tests. She notes that automatic headlamp-levelling systems are not addressing the current problem of existing high-intensity headlights.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Committed to the hon. Gentleman for bringing forward the debate on road safety concerning headlight glare, Jim Shannon highlighted that his constituents face issues with vehicles having headlights that seem overly bright or 'one-eyed monsters'. He suggested that learner drivers should have more time practising nighttime driving as it can be overwhelming.
Thanking the hon. Member for initiating the debate, Paul Girvan pointed out legal limits on vehicle headlight temperature and highlighted issues with retrofitted higher temperature bulbs available online that can exceed these limits. He noted a lack of checks during MOTs to verify bulb temperature.
Government Response
Anthony Browne
Government Response
It is wonderful to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Vaz. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Cleethorpes (Martin Vickers) on securing this timely and important debate about headlight glare. The UK has some of the world's safest roads, but glare from headlights is a perennial issue that needs to be addressed. All vehicle headlights are designed and tested to follow international standards developed under United Nations rules to ensure they illuminate the road adequately without affecting other road users. However, there are challenges as police collision statistics do not indicate an increase in accidents caused by headlight glare, despite real concerns from constituents. In 2021, there were 208 accidents where dazzling headlights were cited as a partial cause, down from 373 in 2005. The Department has raised the issue at the United Nations international expert group on vehicle lighting and agreed proposals to mend headlamp aiming rules with mandatory automatic headlamp levelling expected to take effect only on new vehicle types from September 2027. The Government have allocated £185.8 million local authorities via the safer roads fund to improve safety and launched a plan for drivers in October last year setting out measures to help driving and address concerns. Over recent years, research has been commissioned to understand underlying causes of dazzling headlights, including consulting relevant experts and conducting real-world trials. The Government will consider outputs fully once completed and share them within the UK and with international lighting experts.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.