The UK Government has announced its intention to review the concern of headlight glare, a problem highlighted by repeated complaints from drivers and emphasized by the RAC. This decision aims to explore and mitigate the factors contributing to the increasing issues related to the brightness of vehicle headlights, particularly impacting road safety. According to a survey by Online95 in December 2023, a significant 85% of drivers perceive the problem as worsening, with 89% of respondents acknowledging that some car headlights are excessively bright, resulting in a negative impact on their driving experience.

The trend towards using LED headlights in newer vehicles has been implicated in the intensification of glare, with the Department for Transport responding by mandating the installation of automatic headlight levelling in new cars from September 2027. Despite government statistics indicating an average of 280 collisions annually due to dazzling headlights, concerns have been raised regarding the potential underreporting of such incidents.

In light of over 10,000 people petitioning for action against headlight glare, the government has committed to instigating independent research to thoroughly investigate the root causes and identify suitable solutions. Factors such as misaligned headlights and the increased number of taller vehicles, like SUVs, are also under scrutiny for their contribution to the problem.

The initiative has been met with approval from road safety campaigners and individuals such as Labour peer Dianne Hayter, who acknowledge it as an important step forward in addressing the challenges and enhancing the safety of drivers affected by headlight glare.