Blinding headlights are growing problem on US roads
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 พ.ค. 2023
- Ultra bright headlights in newer vehicles were designed to improve visibility but now they are having unintended consequences - blinding other drivers. NBC’s Vicky Nguyen reports for TODAY.
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#car #safety #driving
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There absolutely needs to be legal limits for how bright headlights can be.
I recommend people to just take this as far as they legally can. Make your lights so insanely bright and angle them horribly, and maybe drive around the right people until they're forced to change the rules around this.
In the dmv handbook it tells you to face right while driving to avoid the glare problem lol y’all need to read and learn the rules of the road. There should be mandatory retest at dmvs every 5 years Mfs too stupid to learn and retain anything they learned for longer than a week and act stupid on matters as such.
@@ethosforeign728you really think you right and that is truly sad. I’m not saying factually your are wrong but how does facing right solve the problem of not seeing the whole road lol.
@@Badbobo8 Face the white line to your right literally if you have average to good eyesight your able to see oncoming traffic left of you within your peripherals, use the white lines as guidance. To the other dummy I’m not foaming out the mouth, if people are modifying their headlights brightness then yeah that’s a problem but manufacturers set the brightness accordingly to rules and regulations and high beams and lows beams need to be used accordingly to avoid issues. You say it’s sad that I think I’m right, where exactly was I wrong?
there are
Finally someone’s talking about how ridiculously bright new headlights are. 20 years ago you could comfortably look at any low beams. Now they all feel like high beams.
@ITURNWINEINTOWATER 😂😂 way too dramatic, tone it down a bit. They do make glasses for night driving, and have for many years in case....well, you know.
That's right the high beams on my Yellow light car is actually low beas on the blue lights car
@@ITURNWINEINTOWATER Yeah, I don't really comprehend how cars/suv/truck headlights have to be angled high up on newer cars. All they need to do is angle them to the literal ground, you'll still be able to see with them angled to ground. I drive a 2009 ram which is dropped really low in the front and the back is lifted so the headlights face to the ground and I'm still able to see at night because the light scatters in all directions.
@@Josh-xd9mj nah, I'll get tinted windows pretty soon💀, im tired of dealing with the sun with a black truck and the headlights of newer cars
@@Josh-xd9mj huh? I have ac? It’s just that the truck gets too hot on the outside
I thought I was going crazy that other vehicles headlights always seemed brighter than mine.
Trucks are so tall their headlights are directly in our faces, no matter whether high or low beam.
The biggest problem are ultra white LED headlights that are now popular on new cars...
The sizes and heights of these trucks is out of control...only compounding the headlight issue.
It’s about time someone addressed this! I hope people will start trying to do something about it!
Omg right?
It is about time!!
even if it is addressed going forward, for at least 10 years it will be a major problem with cars still on the road with the issue...and 20 years before its a rare issue.
@@Karma_has_arrived sarcasm detected.
Close your eyes when you drive Problem solved
Emergency Physician here (and nocturnist). In interviewing my MVC patients nearly ALL of them mentioned blinding headlights were a factor, with many mentioning it was the SOLE factor in their collision. Headlights like this are seriously injuring and killing people. Many more than these few anecdotes
By design !
So which governmental department is supposed to be regulating this?
@@nicolemiller8314 The Federal Highway Safety Commission. But Some RepubliCANT Is Likely Getting Paid Off By A Headlight Bulb Manufacturer To Ignore The Problem...
Well if I told him my car because I'm staring at my phone while driving and it's night time, why not just pick the low-hanging fruit and blame it on other people's headlights?
Too much darkness and too much light. Both of these can cause a fright
I knew it was the stupid LEDs. Glad to see I am not the only one experiencing this.
It's alignment too, it's so important.
Here in the UK you're not allowed to drive your car, by law, if your car fails its annual test.
It's called the MOT and there's so many things it needs to pass on to be safe.
And we would never drive towards someone with high beams on, you must turn them to dipped.
It's part of the Highway Code and you will get pulled over for it by the police.
Def not just you.
One of the biggest issues I see are people installing led bulbs into reflector housings designed for halogen bulbs and not doing a proper retrofit like projectors and then aiming properly. This is more so for older vehicles or vehicles with replacable bulbs, new vehicles are pretty much going "non replaceable" led.
This is just now hitting the news? This has been a problem for years now
Either they failed to do adequate testing or (more likely) they just didn't care.
@@ryder4508 it’s always answer 3.. the $$
@@JSteez5024 Exactly.
Probably turning more into a bigger problem?
Exactly! I’ve been afraid of these lights for years, thinking that if I ever got into a deadly accident, I’d be the one to be blamed and not the person with the lights
As a normal car driver, I really hope they do something about this. Its insane driving at night
As opposed to what? An abnormal car driver?
@@healingpotionthatkillsyoui1844 being that most vehicle sales these days are trucks and SUVs, "normal" lower to ground cars as in coups or sedans are less common.
@nugsymalone1247 In that case the trucks and SUVs would be normal. Normal implies the majority.
@@healingpotionthatkillsyoui1844 Thats for you to decide. If I'm in a room full of crazy people, doesn't make them the normal ones.
@@nugsymalone1247 No, but it makes you the abnormal one.
intensity is magnified when raining at night
I noticed some manufacturers don’t angle their headlights downward to illuminate the street instead straight to other vehicles. Odd design decision. Hope this changes fast
New Ford trucks are the worst. Their headlight adjustment is waaay too high and too bright.
It won't they did nothing when people complained about this a decade ago.
The 2021-current Toyota sienna has this issue. I get flashed all the time while driving with my low beams on. Looking at how to adjust this
@@crunchyblack2224 All LED headlights/taillights are too bright.
@@majorburke9735 hope more vehicles use matrix led, still nice and bright for drivers but dims small sections for oncoming cars 2:44
I remember being at a stoplight and a truck from the opposite side had those lights. I brought my hand up to my eyes to shield them enough so I could see the stoplight if it turned. The driver in the truck saw this happening and decided to turn on his high beams to blind me even more as my blocking of his headlights shining in my eyes somehow seemed to deeply offend his fragile ego. I will never understand the thought process of these pieces of trash.
Well, you have to consider they're just pieces of trash to begin with. It's like the guy that set small plastic animals alongside of the road to see what people would do once they spotted them. They said some people actually veered towards them to deliberately hit them.
They're just not very smart, antagonizing them by calling them trash will only make the situation worse. He obviously thinks that not having his brights on is all that matters, that doesn't make him a "trash person", it makes him uneducated. He obviously gets brights flashed at him constantly when his are not on, to him, you putting up your arm is a signal that you think his brights are on "AND THEY'RE NOT!"... Obviously the brightness of a light isn't the only issue, that's why we tell kids to not shine flashlights in people's eyes, shine them down just below the eyes and it's no big deal. We simply want the lights to not shine in our eyes,
@@nathaniellarson8 don't apologize for idiots. He didn't flash his brights to show the comparison. The story says he left the brights on.
That is what an a hole would do.
This is the most American thing I've read all week
@@nathaniellarson8 yeah no he deff did it on purpose lol he left them on and when I finally had to make a left turn he flashed them multiple times at me
As somebody with glasses, i agree. The government might as well legalize drunk driving with how much lights like these impair somebody with a stigmatism from being able to see/drive well. Also, i do look at the right line, but sometimes the lights are so bright it blurs into those as well
Same here. I've had a few close calls because of astigmatism and driving at night with those bright lights totally blinding me.
I’m a 20/20 seeing 23 year old, and i’ve had to drop speed quick because I suddenly couldn’t see the road due to these bright lights, and they give me intense headaches when I drive longer than 20 minutes at night. if they’re that bad for my sight, then the law needs to change.
I am glad you mentioned astigmatism and glasses. It is even worse when it rains...crazy dangerous at night!
Then add rain. Shut up. No.
Looking to the right line used to be the way to do it, back when you could pretty well count on the oncoming driver on the other side of the road doing the same. Now, though, you have to consider that if you watch the right line you will miss when the oncoming driver drifts into your lane because there are too many things going on in their vehicle that are way more interesting than watching the road.
I refuse to drive at night. It is total BS that these vehicles lights stock headlights from the factory or allowed to be this bright. It should be illegal.
It’s getting completely out of hand there needs to be a limit for how bright your light can be depending how high your vehicle is off the ground as well. Some of these trucks have the brightest lights and it’s just completely ridiculous.
Compensation on Compensation
There is limits. Problem is the blue light measure the same as old halogen but is 4 times britghter to the eye, but the law do not take that into consideration...
We also need to discuss how poorly painted the lanes are on a lot of highways and backroads too. It’s like driving on a road without lanes sometimes.
And the few light poles are barely/slowly replaced when burnt out
In North America several years ago they took something out of the paint, which makes it less reflective. I think there is more damage to environment due to crashes than whatever flaked off from the paint.
I don't remember where this was exactly but somewhere, they painted their lines on the road with glow in the dark paint so they'd be more visible. Along with some reflective material. When I saw this, all I could think was why isn't this a thing everywhere?!
Yes, I agree, I’ve never understood why they aren’t glow in the dark. Esp in our area where we have a lot of rain.
We live in a country where the infrastructure gets a grade of D-. Actually tax our our billionaires or face the consequences of terrible roads an overall life.
It's about time someone addressed this issue. When I last went to the auto parts store to pick up some new lights, they actually encouraged me to get brighter blue ones. Telling me you could see so much better. Sure, but I'm also blinding everyone else on the road.
This was exactly my argument years ago when they had those commercials for the bright lights. Like no, please stop.
I know!. These should have been tested and not just sold . Anything to make a buck.
Thank you for being a kind person ❤
A store tryin to upsell a more expensive product that’s crazy 😐
Same with me, I never knew this was an issue but The only reason I went with the lower temperature lighting was cuz otherwise I'd have to change All of my bulbs to blue to keep my car uniform lighting.
I'm so glad I went with my gut feeling / being cheap, lol
I wear blue light computer glasses and it does help
Thanks for the tip. Regular sunglasses 😎 are not enough. I just ordered anti-blue/UV light with night vision clip-ons. $6 on eBay.
@@majorburke9735 wearing sunglasses at night just because of headlights is insane
@@--.-- Exactly. It’s insane to wear sunglasses while driving at night. But the LED blinding light is worse. The alternative is not to drive.
I believe you don’t understand the situation bc the LEDs may not blind you or noticeably hurt your eyes, yet. 30% of the drivers are very sensitive to them, but I guarantee you it’s like looking into the sun, and everyone’s eyes are being damaged. The long term effects are unknown. Let us pray we don’t become a population of blind people.
Plus daytime LED headlights are worse bc they are not a blinding contrast to the darkness of night, so fewer people are shielding their eyes.
However, you might have missed the main message - -.- -: The night-vision blue-light filtering glasses seem to be a solution by providing great vision AND reducing the pain. Hopefully they are also filtering the harmful effects of the LED radiation ☢️.
@@--.-- LED lights are insane. Sunglasses are a way of coping with the insanity.
There’s so much you can do to make lights more appropriate for other drivers, glad this is being talked about
Glad people are now talking about this - I have astigmatism and the bright LED lights make it incredibly difficult (if not impossible) to see the road without being blinded
SAME HERE! I feel so unsafe, I will avoid driving after sunset at all costs :(
It about time right?? YEARS THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM. Society is always so behind
Oh! I have astigmatism but never knew that the trouble I have with oncoming headlights is because of it! I got a pair of cheap clip-on yellow "sunglasses" that help cut the glare nicely. The lights aren't much dimmer, but they're no longer actively painful.
@@bradleyc328 Yeah, American society, 'cause they're based on nothing else, but money!!!
Word, I feel like it is spreading, here in NJ these people put the high beams for you to go over the speed limit, or they start to tailgate with these on. It is just horrible.
As a person with an astigmatism, seeing those LED headlights shine directly into my eyes for a few seconds really feels like “am I gonna crash today?” and it’s absolutely worse in the rain
Not to sound mean but maybe you should adapt your life to stay off the roads at night. You could be putting someone's life at risk.
@@tc1uscg65 the people with the lights are putting lives in risk. these lights affect everyone equally, as people with 20/20 vision can barley see when theyre in the same situation
I have the same problem. Prescription glasses helped me a lot. Hopefully this works for you as well
Yes, I have the same problem! I often have to slow down at night when I pass someone. I really don't like driving at night
@@tc1uscg65 These lights *unneccesarily* blind most people, it just gets even worse if you have slight eye problems.
The commenter is not putting people at risk here, just adding onto how people with these lights are the ones that pose a huge risk.
The crazy thing is when this happens people dont slow down while unable to see. You have to slow down or stop if this happens to you. Never drive outside of your means.
Very, very true. I experience this on the road. Drivers behind me with super bright lights or on opposite traffic (inbound/outbound)
It’s about time the media did a story. This is insane how bright lights have gotten.
You mean how safe they've gotten? They're not too bright, not unless somebody leaves their high beams on or aims their lights up.
@@BlueOvals24 you have a vested profit in this. Your lively hood is at stake, and you want more and more people to shut up or you lose money.
@@BlueOvals24 They don't "aim their lights up". They come out of the factory aimed at your eyes.
@@arcxjo They wouldn't be getting them past DOT if that was the case.
@DVincentW I made like 5 comments, calm down buddy. Just sick of people complaining about a problem that can't be fixed.
I don’t drive at night anymore because of this. I thought I was the only one who thought it was a problem. As a matter of fact, all LED lights for outside use are insanely bright.
I have to tilt my rear view mirror down because there is always going to be a giant truck with blaring lights behind me when I go out at night.
I'm only 30 with 20/20 vision and I hate driving at night because of this. I thought maybe it was just me
Agreed, LED street lights also excessively bright. Light pollution is a real thing.
Seems like you live in a southern place that doesn’t get dark at 4 PM like it does here in the north
@@jphickory522 not even just street lights. My neighbor just replaced their front porch light that was 100watt with a led flood light equivalent to 5000 watts. One look at bright leds like that can hurt someone’s vision.
i can tell you as a 16 year valet driver, the number of cars i see every day that come in with their high beams ON is insane... people literally are driving with them on
Even on low beam some of these newer cars are still blinding oncoming motorists something needs to be done this is a dangerous situation
This has been angering me for so long now. It’s so frustrating to be blinded by the lights around me nearly every time I’m driving
I agreed with you 100% I'm driving a sedan and my neighbor are driving trucks with aftermarket LED headlights and and during the rainy season it is hard to see and the glare is bad.
The weeknd wasn’t joking 😅
Street lights too.
I know the back of my eyes literally hurt just from the glare of cars behind me in my side mirrors. I feel like it's going to cause a car accident soon.
@@jessica3218 lol🤣
As the driver of an older Honda…this video hit home so true. I’m sure glad all the new big SUV’s can see like it’s daylight but makes it downright dangerous for me at times
Same with my last car that I still had a few months ago. A 2001 Mercury Grand Marquis. It's possible I could have gotten brighter headlights, but as it was, there were times a car would pass and I couldn't see.
to correct the reporter - Companies are not "met with red tape" to implement it - they STRAIGHT UP DON'T WANT TO because nobody is forcing them!
EU laws ARE forcing companies to use better technology as Safety First, in the US the reason why pickup trucks even took off is because no safety laws are present to Test their safety and Enforce safety. They wouldn't even be a thing if there were safety laws but there aren't! Fricks sake they are literally child killing machines!
Honda for life 💪 😭
I drive a ‘94 Honda Wagon and the LEDs can be so dangerous, cars have gotten so tall too with everyone driving larger cars 🚗
Same. Older Infiniti. My plastic is now yellowed so my lights are dulled. And I’m blinded already with an astigmatism. Honestly, I won’t drive at night now. It’s so scary.
Another problem is oblivious drivers using daytime running lights (DRL) at night - they don’t realize their taillights aren’t on so it looks essentially pitch black to drivers behind them during the night. I don’t understand why car manufacturers have daytime headlights that don’t also activate taillights.
People with those big trucks love the bright lights, they use it to intimidate people so you go to the next lane or go faster.
This really needs to be regulated. I used to be a trucker (and am only 32 now) and never had an issue driving at night my whole life. These days, I'm scared to drive at night, especially on back country roads (which is all we have where I live), because people use blinding lights, and now trucks have these insanely bright gold-yellow flood lights they use any time it rains for some god-forsaken reason that keep anyone in their cone from being able to see anything at all, and also burn right through the "night time" dimmer on rear view mirrors. It's made worse by the stupid """light trucks""" that are the only thing american car manufacturers will sell anymore. They don't even fit in parking spots, and they're so high up that anyone driving even a normal van is getting blinded as their low beams act like high beams.
Thank you young person! It’s not just older folks
I call it the “insecurity package” 😂
@@jflanagan9696 they are compensating madly....
I’m * not am
I had a dude turn his led brights on because he was butt hurt I flashed by pathetic hals to be "hey man that's overkill."
Im a truck driver and i see this problem all over the U.S. but the bigger problem is that lots of people drive around with their highbeams on at all times. Even though i sit up way higher than pick up trucks, it's still a problem and trust me, a semi is one of the last vehicles you want to blind and cause to hit something or someone.
Yes I have noticed that too, those people are so selfish
You sit at an intersection and some guy across the way has his high beams on I’ll just click mine on sometimes for a bit to maybe help remind them. I have a Tesla and I know the lights can be really bad the white is awful tbh…
TBH, I used to hardly ever use my high beams but nowadays... Its like I need to use my high beams just to have a fraction of effectiveness as people with solar flare headlights. And then everyone is running around in lifted trucks and F150's and Escalades so I really have no chance out there.
But still, I turn them off when I'm behind somebody or if its a narrow road with oncoming traffic.
@@ICU1337 The thing is people has always had lifted trucks. Now people are using more and more high beam lights. The Ford Edge has a feature that turns on the high beams whenever a person or car is around. My truck has no high beam enegery at all, I get blinded by the slightest High Beams from Sedans to raised trucks.
It isn’t even high beams most of the time. Headlights on newer cars are as bright as ever.
Finally someone had the guts to shed some light on this issue, it shouldn’t be hidden away in the dark
I shed light on it, but people think I have a high beam on, then I show them that I don't, and then I fry their retinas 🤣🤣🤣
I thought I was just getting old, but I can tell the difference with some lights vs others. I hope we get relief.
They've been an issue for over 10 years.
I can't believe manufacturers are even allowed to sell cars with some of these lights.
I was not allowed in the past LED lights
@@katgalatolo reflector housings are for LED and HID, you're thinking of reflective housings.
i would also say Windshields should have an antiglare layer as well and it should be law.
The brighter and more precise automotive LED’s, the better and safer it makes us feel better confident driving at night. That’s a fact.
@@toyotabronydid you watch the video. They’re obviously not safe. Everyone I know hates them.
This needs to be on every car. Last night an SUV following me was blinding me so bad I couldn’t see anything. Even after I covered my mirror, I was already blinded that it affected my vision for 5 mins. Luckily there was a lot of street traffic so I didn’t need to drive fast.
_when cars get behind me following too closely and blinding me, I turn my mirrors out so the light comes back on them. And they get from behind me._ 🤭
to correct the reporter - Companies are not "met with red tape" to implement it - they STRAIGHT UP DON'T WANT TO because nobody is forcing them!
EU laws ARE forcing companies to use better technology as Safety First, in the US the reason why pickup trucks even took off is because no safety laws are present to Test their safety and Enforce safety. They wouldn't even be a thing if there were safety laws but there aren't! Fricks sake they are literally child killing machines!
Make sure you flip up your rearview mirror when that happens.
😂
@@TheBlairWenchProjectSame
THANK YOU!! I been saying there's a problem for years!!
There's no reason headlights should be that bright. People drove around just fine with those dingy yellow halogen bulbs for decades.
I’m glad they’re finally talking about this. It’s scary and frustrating. I don’t understand how it’s been allowed to get to this point. Driving with your brights on near other vehicles is illegal for a reason. They’ve just made all lights into brights now and it’s insane.
It's not though. Most of the overly bright lights you're seeing are still high beams or poorly aimed lights, nothing to do with how they're being built.
@@BlueOvals24 it's actually the fact that trucks and SUVs sit higher. A lot of truck's properly adjusted headlights are at my eye level in my car. Yellow headlights are bright but these Blue/White headlights are just out right blinding.
@@BlueOvals24 Either way it’s a really frustrating situation. I don’t know the answer or the correct solution, I’m just glad people are talking about it so that maybe improvements can be made somewhere along the line. I have definitely noticed a difference though, when it looks like 80% of the cars I pass have their brights on and I have to look away from the road in order to not be blinded. That’s terrifying when you live in an area with a lot of dear like I do.
@@BlueOvals24 it’s crazy how many comments you’ve left on this video about aiming headlights, entirely not considering that roads aren’t perfectly flat and all it takes is one small bump or just going down a hill for your headlights to temporarily blind someone regardless of how well they’re aimed
@@BlueOvals24 hush up, liar
I'm in my 20s and I hate it so much 😭 I can only imagine how awful it is for those older/with worse vision 💔
Thank you for saying this. I knew I wasn't crazy or that it was just my "young eyes" at the time I started driving that made it seem ok. They actually are intensely brighter and I think most people can't handle them by this point. I'm only 39 and have always had good eyesight and I'm struggling, too. It really isn't safe to drive at night any more if you have slower reaction time and/or deteriorating vision.
I'm in my 20s and don't have very good night vision. I avoid driving at night if possible
In my 30s with astigmatism and just learned that it makes headlight glare worse 🥲
@@batsandbatsandbats same. I started with hard contacts at 13. No wonder I always felt like light was stretching horizontally at night especially when raining even with corrective lenses, but never brought it up to an optometrist.
I have to wear contacts at night so it's not worse. I have a strong prescription which means thick lenses (they're hi-index and shaved down as far as they can go) which makes glares worse even with glare reduction. Add an astigmatism in my left eye. I want to cry everytime I have to drive at night.
Thank you for sharing this story! Its so true!!!
This so true. I have 2020 Jeep and my lights are bright. I have to look twice and make sure I don’t have the brights on.
This is an issue that absolutely needs to be addressed sooner than later
Good news is u can do it yourself By simply Tinting your windshield to reduce that glare it did the job for me
@@Shiesty9168 its illegal but a good idea. its a shame we need tint to be able to see
I’ll never understand why the car companies thought it would be a good idea to blind us all.
They do as they are told. Follow the money.
Cheaper to make and uses less battery power... Terrible tradeoff
More car accidents = more people buying cars.
@@NotACupcaketerrible but I think you hit the nail on the head
Exactly
It's crazy. I work in shifts and at night it's like " close encounters of a third kind", next moment you think you died and going into a tunnel of blinding light.
I'm in the UK and this is absolutely a problem here too! I do a lot of night driving and I thought this was just me having this issue
Around 30% have this issue that make us literally blind when meeting a car with blue low beams... It shuld be illegal to have blue /high color temperature low beams. I get less blinded meeting a car with 2x 100w halogen HIGH beams then a car with blue low beam, that is how bad it is. And here 100W halogens is banned even for use in high beams because they are considered to be to bright.
It's amazing to me that warmer halogen lights were made to be a specific color temp for the longest time because we knew this, and sodium street lights were specifically made with their color temp and monochromatic light because we knew this, and then LEDs came along and we just threw it all out the window using bright white lights.
Interesting. The generation that came after, are more concerned about making money...
They're concerned about looking Cool
Technology connections did a video on about monochronic street lighting and about the difference between sodium and LED lights. Sodium street lights are really good at put producing a lot of light but for night time lighting it's not very good for human vision. It would take more lighting from sodium to meet the same lighting effects that you get from blue white LEDs
Corruption. Tell me amazon couldnt put a filter up to prevent sales. Perhaps bezos should pay the fines.
Partly I think that's because LEDs are harder to get the same frequencies...they put out a fairly narrow frequency so even if it looks like the same color it's not the same wavelengths.
But part of it is definitely "cool" factor too...if you look at older devices any LEDs are probably red, mayyybe yellow or green. Blue LEDs were harder to make, so they came last. As a result, maybe people came to associate the particular glow of blue LEDs with futuristic high-tech. Younger generations have had blue LEDs their whole life so that effect should be starting to fade, but it's gonna take some time..
My work truck has halogen headlights, but I noticed that they pointed directly into car windows. The lights were set that way at the factory. I bought a tool online that allowed me to adjust the lights downward to a proper height that won’t blind other drivers. It seems most people couldn’t care less if other drivers are negatively affected by their bright lights.
Good for you! I wish more people would be that considerate!
Thank you!
Wow, that's so considerate! As a low car/sedan driver, I really appreciate that and wish other truck/suv drivers would do that too. Unfortunately, I think you are in the large minority. But thank you
It also doesn't help that trucks are being built like small busses now
Courtesy isn’t being taught anymore. It’s just me myself and I out there.
Whew! I thought my eyes were going bad.. I have the same problem with new headlights.
I remembered years ago in 2009 when I was driving a guy in this van had his brights on in this town that I was going through. I was blinded from my mirrors from that guy. I did speed up to 55mph just south of the town. I was so lucky that I didn’t get into an accident.
I'm so glad people are talking about this ,I thought I was going crazy from how bright the headlights are on people's vehicles ,I've been blinded so many times and was terrified I was gonna crash
It is awful. And there is so much misinformation in this video from this so-called "expert".
1) The light from LEDs IS brighter-- not just appears brighter, it IS brighter. It's also a different kind of light-- different spectrum.
2) Headlight alignment is NOT a primary cause. OEM alignment is JUST as blinding as misalignment.
3) Adaptive headlights are great, but we need REGULATION and enforcement of penalties for over-bright headlights.
4) LEDs should be banned unless they meet a threshold of safety for other drivers. Just use halogen or HID until adaptives are commonplace.
I thought I was the only person having issues with this. Lights are blinding me at night. God help me if there is a truck behind me. 😮
@cw4623 nice fuax expertise, blinding headlight issue has been a thing for decades and it's always been in cars with improperly designed aftermarket bulbs or misaligned headlights. There is DOT approved patterns for reflector and single/multi projector headlights. When this pattern and the alignment specifications are used, this I a non issue.
The drivers don't know and don't care.
There's times when I'm driving home at midnight after work on a back road that has no street lights and cars are on the opposite side coming towards me with extremely bright Headlights glaring, I can't even see my side of the road. Also when I'm in the Left turning lane and they're facing me I can't see anything.
Glad this is getting some attention because it's a huge, dangerous problem. I hate driving at night bc of it.
The attention doesn’t matter- the US is in no hurry to fix the issue with tech that’s been available for a decade
Same. This is really out of control.
When the new bright light 💡 came into play , it looked as if there high beams were on .
Thank you for talking about this problem some one needs to do something like the Insurance company they’re going to have to pay for this accidents …
Another issue is that people install bright LED lights in headlight housings with reflectors that were originally meant for halogen bulbs. This changes the beam pattern which can cause blinding.
Do they not make bulbs anymore, because that is another solution to the problem.
@@retroryan838 they do but many people will opt for an LED upgrade when they need to replace their bulbs since they are much brighter and lasts much longer before needing to be replaced. These days, they are not much more expensive than halogen bulbs.
It’s actually poor quality cheap led conversion kits. Not all are created equally. Most have horrendous beam patterns then you factor in that people just throw them in their headlight housing without proper alignment of the beam pattern. I spent 3 plus hours getting my lights adjusted on my motorcycle when I installed my Morimoto led kit.
ACHEM… here I am putting 15 dollar LED bulbs in my 05 civic which has halogen housing 😅😅
Honestly the problem isn’t that it’s too bright for other drivers, the problem is the light isn’t dispersed properly without the proper housing so I have to use the brights. Thankfully they’re not even as bright as a lot of normal led lights. Nobody flashes me or anything
@@LightsaberGoBrrrrrr its less of a problem with the Gen10 Civics, as they come with projector lenses for their halogen bulbs.
The biggest issue I see is how many people drive with their brights on. It seems like there are more people than ever who don’t care about oncoming drivers. It’s so frustrating.
Sad to say this was not an issue in the past, if someone had there highs on, you would flash them and they would turn them off. People nowadays are naturally clueless and rude.
Alot of these new drivers don't know where their high beams are at or if they are on. I told a guy at the gas station that his high beams are on. He said he doesn't know how to shut it off
oh, you must be in Ohio too 😔
@@K03sport lol. NYC
I feel like another issue is Automatic High Beams. We have a BMW and a Chevy Silverado, both with auto high beams. The BMW turns off the brights way earlier than the truck, and I find myself reaching to turn them off in my pickup because the delay is so bad.
This problem exists less in europe, but it still does happen way to often.
And in the Netherlands it is required to be within pretty strict requirements.
yes!! i‘be noticed it especially with newer cars i already hate fluorescent lights and some of them feel like laser beams lol
I've been screaming about this for years...as a OTR truck driver with countless miles the torture of these lights on vehicles is extremely dangerous.
& trucks drivers ain’t known for the same thing!?🙄
The torture of one set of bright headlights every few miles is too much for you? Hand in your CDL, bud.
@@BlueOvals24 one set of headlights every few miles eh? I can see you don't know what you're talkin about.
I live in the mountains and going around winding roads with a cliff on one side is scary whenever someone with those headlights is coming towards me and I can no longer see the road for a second or two. You're telling me having anything but white or yellow headlights or tinted windows will get you a ticket (in California), but having blinding lights is all good? Great job California.
@davidlangston9595 The problem is those people have their high beams on and don't turn them off for oncoming traffic like they should. Some makes like Subaru have light sensors that will automatically dim the high beams for oncoming traffic, then turn them back on when no light is detected.
Nothing worse than an incoming pickup truck with misaligned headlights and high beams switched on. I'm in Florida and this keeps getting worse every year. It seems like most drivers here just don't think. Lack of regulation doesn't help, either. This needs to be fixed, asap.
You live in Florida; good luck with regulations. Maybe the people in power will get around to it once they're done scouring through all the questionable books.
@@1Letter23Numbers.pretty sure a large portion of book “bans” are just the books being removed from access by kids under like 12 and put into areas for older kids but by all means get triggered by everything the other side does
@@fungdark8270 the fact that banning books is not an SNL skit making fun of the rabid red Republicans makes it even more hilarious!
No need for a pickup truck, unless you have a farm, or need it for other jobs
Man I’m in rural Pennsylvania and it’s just as bad here to be honest. These people get on my nerves, like even assuming you actually need an f350 you could at least try to avoid literally blinding others while you use it.
Yes! I thought I was the only one
Yes so true those lights blind me when I'm driving
YES FINALLY someone addresses this! I’m sick of the new cars with blinding headlights. I’ve crashed almost many times from being blinded completely
I’ve felt this way for so long. Ever since those “brighter” and “seeing farther than ever” commercials came out, I was thinking about driving opposite of those bright lights and how dangerous it can be. I have decent night vision and still lose sight of the lines and roadside when facing these lights
Not only cars coming at you, people behind you with these lites will blind you reflecting from your mirrors.
If someone drives at night a lot they NEED brighter lights, there are no set of lights that if lowered to low beams are a huge problem, the problem is people not lowering their beams to low beam which is the law.
I wish I had night vision:( haha I know what you meant
@@johnlmcgary no, the standard LED lights on new cars are blinding. I know they're not highbeams because I used to flash my highbeams at new cars out of anger, until they started flashing back and I realized they get even brighter.
@@johnlmcgary You are a special kind of stupid. The problem isn't high beams. the problem is that the standardisation of "normal" operating lights on cars are becoming brighter. These brighter lights may indeed help the driver of the car with the bright lights BUT it blinds everyone else in oncoming traffic.
This is a problem here in Jamaica too
Hurrah someone else has noticed this ….where are the lawmakers !!!!!
The law makers measured the blue light to be exactly the same as the halogen according to their instrument... Ignoring the fact that the eye get 4 times more blinded by blue light and that 30% have eye problems making them totally blind when meeting cars with blue low beams.
Many huge pickups and SUVs now have four large, very bright headlights. It is impossible to tell if the four blinding headlights are on LOW or HIGH.
I have 12.
There are people that drives with high beams on, on small cars. They don't know what the blue light icon means.
@@domingofungare
@@LiveAndLaughs ty
@Screwdriver440 not mine if you hit the highbeams the fogs stay on too
I drive a semi at night and these people with super bright LED’s is dangerous. Some definitely need to be tilted down. Also, people refusing to dim their high beams is a major problem too.
As a mechanic, i prefer halogen lights since they are way simpler than LED's and Xenon.
They are cheaper too.
@@robins4209 I hate LED headlights! All they do is blind people, and when one goes out, you have to replace the entire headlight because they don't have replaceable bulbs.
I've been saying this for years and as you get older its get harder, some of the worst problem is when the add in their fog lights and light bars on as well
As someone who drives a smaller car, I’m so glad someone is finally talking about this!
They definitely need to pass at least one law about this. I've lost vision (not seeing spots, I mean not see ANYTHING for at least 10 seconds) because of bright headlights on the cars in the other lane. I could've taken out another car or several, I HAVE smashed my car once due to this BS. That I'm still alive weirds me out, I've had way too many close calls.
get a xxxxxx truck !!!
@@macnasty7605nope. Buy less of them. Can’t even see a child in front of one.
I remember driving my wifes smaller SUV and turning left at a Y 3 way interesection, with a truck stopped at a stop sign facing me. I basically had to U turn around the truck, the car had to be positioned in a way that put his blinding headlights though the winsheild and directrly into my eyes- on a dark country road. I had to inch my way forward absolutely blinded
Even in a 23 year old full size car I get blinded by newer suvs and 4wd pickups with lights taller than mountains.
I just upgraded from a 2004 to a 2024 and the headlights are CRAZY bright. I've been self conscious and paranoid driving at night because I feel like I'm blinding everyone else. I feel bad K-turning in my neighborhood at night because it's like blaring search lights into people's homes. It's insane.
I hesitate to get a new car because of this issue
You need to go back to the dealership immediately and tell them to fix the alignment on your headlights. They should be angled down, not out where they shine directly into other drivers' line of vision.
@xcristinat even angled down their a dangerous nuisance that screams "look at me, I have terrible night vision and everyone else has to be blinded so I can see, totally shouldn't just stay off the road"
TIL that that type of turn is called a "k-turn", ha! Thanks for the new info
@@xcristinatits most likely already aligned. Most roads are not level, so any type of angle with these newer led cars literally sends the lights directly into people's eyes. You can notice newer cars lights getting extremely bright after hitting a bump or dip in the road lol. Its ridiculous how bright these lights are at this point imo
The issue is also taller vehicles like raised trucks and SUVs. The hight of the vehicle places the headlights right at mirror level
I swear for the longest time I thought I was the only one with this problem. It's terrifying for me sometimes to drive at night. Like my life is in danger. And God help me if it's raining too.
Right!
Are people not using their low beams or fog lights? That’s what people should be using around other cars. High beams should never be used unless extreme conditions.
@ok. ok. i’ve literally seen big SUVs using high beams in broad daylight. They’re usually tailgaters too, whenever that happens i just slow to a ridiculous speed so it forces them to change lanes and not blind me anymore
our eyes only get worse for nightvision, and these whackos keep getting more and more powerful spot lights
@@teresitaperegrina3741 It’s the high beams that get you I know that feeling in the middle of the night with the high beams. Usually places have laws against using high beams like 500feet away from cars and for good reason. People need to be aware not to do this it’s inconsiderate, ticket-able, and against common sense. I’m sure you can be held liable insurance wise too.
I'm glad to learn that this isn't just me that has been getting blinded by them, and thinking that it was all me, and my eyes. Can't tell you how many times, just in the last year, or less, that I've flashed my high beams at someone, thinking they had their high beams on, and was about to cause me to run off the road, only for them to flash their high beams back at me (because I did that), and then me being surprised that they only had their low beams on. Never could understand before what had changed in the last several years, or so, because before, I never had that issue.
It's really bad. I'm at the point where I don't want to drive at night. It's dangerous, yeah, but also it freaking HURTS to get blinded like that.
@@PSUhockeygirl Most definitely, and I agree, too.
More SUV’s and brighter lights. Manufacturers need to tilt them down further
Wow I thought it was just me!
look into some night driving glasses. They help a lot if you get a good pair
TESLA MODEL Y!!!!! I live right next to the Fremont factory. It’s like the Bat Signal shining directly in your face. It’s absolutely crazy how bright those lights are.
I’ve bin thinking this for years glad it’s becoming a topic
I used to flash these people because i thought they have their High Beam ON but after a few years i stopped after i noticed that's not the case. It's really unfortunate this hasn't yet made it to US regulators. These lights need to be regulated.
I still just flash them.
I got flashed yesterday because someone thought my brights were on. They weren't. 😂. I flipped em on and off tho, to let the other driver know. I didn't have a say when the car was made. 😅
@@The_Hulkster Have you met a 450w LED lightbar yet?
Just lay on your horn. Idiots in lifted trucks need to learn.
More Federal employees sitting on their hands all day at the NHTSA. This agency can't tell that those lights shouldn't be on the freakin' market? Of course not, they're Federal employees.
Finally someone is bringing up this subject. The lights are ridiculously bright, and I almost hit a pedestrian when I was blinded by the glare from an oncoming car.
Biggest issue is lifted trucks that the owners then don’t adjust the headlights down so they are just going through windows of other drivers. This is why y’all needa get tints on the rear glass
They had a solution for this, 40 years ago infact, auto dimming headlights. When other headlights are sensed, voltage drops and the lights dim, then as traffic passes, your lights go back to full brightness. My 1976 cadillac has this feature lol 😂 it's NOT a new concept, at all.
@A-classic-smithy That's major facts. I didnt know it was a function from so long ago. Then again Cadillac was always at the cutting edge of technology for an American company under General Motors. I know the Lexus IS got that function for the newer models.
There's new tech that the headlight will move outta the way. Hopefully it gets approved
Tesla Cybertruck says "you think thats blinding? hold my beer"
nah you have not seen our 20k lumen head lights yet
Yeah that happens to me too. I have to slow way down and have almost been rear ended several times as a result of doing that. I have to scan the right side of the road just to be sure im not drifting.
I’m so glad people are speaking out about this. The extremely bright headlights temporarily blind me while driving not to mention they give me an instant headache. Needs to be regulated somehow.
It's not the headlights, it's the highbeams being left on and people aiming their lights improperly.
It is regulated, it's just not enforced in most places
Start with alignment check yearly.. Than regulate max Lumens with a compensation for colour. It isn't hard.
@@BlueOvals24 lies
@@BlueOvals24No even the low beams are out of control at this point.
Agree this is 100% a problem. I find myself searching for the lines on the road just to keep myself on the street when someone with these LEDs comes rolling the opposite way because your vision just fills with blinding light - it’s awful.
yep
Move to the east coast
That’s what I do. Focus on the lines.
@@Raithen- Not sure how that would help. I'm on the east coast, in an area with street lights and dense businesses on either side of the road (which provide plenty of ambient light), and I still get blinded by oncoming traffic. On the Long Island Expressway, because of a wide grassy divider, it's cars behind and passing that cause most of the blindness. (Those wide adaptive beams could pose a future problem there.) In rural areas where I sometimes drive, the only saving grace is the limited traffic. Only thing to do is avert your eyes off the right side of the road.
This is why i come to an almost complete stop when im approaching a dark curvy backroad and there is a car on the oncoming side. I cant even see the road and im stuck guessing if im still even in my lane.
In my area it's largely aftermarket light fixtures on pickups.
It's ridiculous because the bulbs for my house are weak AF, but the ones for cars are insane.
This has been such a huge issue for me when I drive home each night. It’s gotten significantly worse this past year as well.
As someone who wants to learn how to drive, this scares me😅
@voice_0f_reason learn how to drive during the day and on roads you are familiar with
Same. Was beginning to question myself. Thought it was just my age. Glad it's getting attention now.
I’m so glad to see this is being talked about. Why on earth these blinding lights are legal is beyond me. I pretty much can’t drive at night anymore because these headlights give me an instant migraine. Literally feels like I’m being stabbed through the eyeballs and back to my brain.
They’re not legal but there’s no enforcement
Why do we have Vehicle Laws against using high beams?
Gonna go check mine..
High beams have been Known to be Illegal withing City Limits.. or 350ft from Oncoming traffic
@anidiotmakesthings Change the lamp.
@anidiotmakesthings except it is illegal to drive with high beams on in city limits.
A decade ago people used to come into my auto shop and request an upgrade to LEDs. I tried to tell them that if they’re having problems seeing at night then they need glasses. And that they shouldn’t be blinding other drivers on the road with LEDs. The argument didn’t work on anybody. They just don’t care about other drivers.
Canadian here! We’re having the same issues down here!
Omg I’ve been complaining about this issue for years! So glad to finally see someone with a platform talking about it. I can only hope the discussion puts public pressure on legislators to pass regulations or restrictions to curb this blinding eyesore that poses a constant threat to public safety before more people are hurt or killed.
Unfortunately, retrofitting every newer car on the road would be a logi$tical 'Manhatten Project'. Esp given the cost of headlights, these days. But yeah, I agree.
Until this new technology is made available to all vehicles including older ones, LED use will continue, because without them you only get to see Bambi for a few seconds before hitting him. And don't say "drive under the speed limit at night".
I am so glad this is finally being addressed a little. I try to avoid driving at night as much as possible. I have to slow down when people drive behind me because I can't see and that irritates the drivers more and they get more aggressive and closer behind me which causes me to drive even slower.
Yeah I always say to myself "if you didn't tailgate me I could drive faster!"
Mirrors are my friend
Pull off the road and let them pass
@@billythatkidd6926 Shouldn't have to
I should've done this last night. A huge truck was tailgating me, flashing on and off the existing super bright headlights and I made a change towards the right lane kinda quick.
I'm in England, and luckily I've not noticed this being as much of a problem as it seems in the USA. However I have indeed been blinded before from someone's ridiculously bright headlights, similar to shown in this video. At the time I was a learner (hopefully gonna pass my test next week) and new to the road, and I totally freaked out, magnified by the fact that I was on a rather thin road. Hopefully laws will be imposed in the USA so that our friends across the pond can drive safer.
I don’t understand why they just don’t go back to halogen lights cause the problem is that people are putting brighter and brighter lights on their cars and then getting window tints
Something needs to be done about it. It's so dangerous.
Exactly!
Never going to happen here in America.
Yeah, but the other problem, is duller lights means drivers can’t see either. So it’s a catch 22, blinds oncoming drivers, but without them we can’t see to drive down the road either. You want me driving on your side of the road cause I can’t see the road?
@@garyzimmerman8679 thats not what the issue is. My car is from 1994 and i have never gotten a complaint about my headlights being so dim that people cant see me. Nor have i experienced that issue from someone elses old headlights. Do you mean when bulbs get old and burn out? Because that can be replaced
@@sosa3559 I can see u with old headlights, but when my car has old halogen headlights, I can’t see far enough down the road cause they are to dim.
This has been an issue around here for the last 10 years and I hate it so much. We really need some laws against running such bright lights.
I really thought I was the only one. It warms my heart to see more and more people aware of this danger
"around here" lol it's all about you, huh
@@Lunar_Capital"i really thought I was the only one on the road"
@@juliebraden6911 Julie, go eat an LED headlight
@@juliebraden6911 You ok my dude? You seem to got some mental issues going on attacking people out of nowhere for such random things. Imagine being you.
I’ve always wanted to install some rear facing fog lights for this exact reason.
find it hilarious she looked directly into the light 😂
This problem is so bad for me that I avoid driving at night. I've had to pull over out of fear for my safety due to oncoming traffic just blinding me. I have sensitive eyes as it is. The only way I can drive safely is because I purchased yellow glasses that help tone down the blue light of LEDs. It doesn't totally fix it, but it helps enough to feel like I can at least drive safely. There are many reasons why I hate newer, modern cars and their careless drivers, but dangerously-blinding LEDs is one of them.
I also hate that people rely WAY to much on their stupid backup camera. LOOK AROUND YOU! USE YOUR MIRRORS! PHYSICALLY LOOK BEHIND YOU TO! CHECK YOUR BLIND SPOTS! Why don't people understand such a basic concept? I think manufactures should just make 90s shitboxes again so that it will force the drivers to be more careful.
@@joshingwithyahaha Some people need them because it's hard for them to turn their body that's one of the symptoms of getting old.
@@teamofone1219one thing they teach you in the dmv’s drive test is that you can *use* the backup cams but not *rely* on them. I still turn around and look because there’s always the chance that someone is right behind you in a blind spot
LED lights are one of the causes of sensitive eyes and blindness.
@@teamofone1219Or for most people of being lazy (young people).
This is a really horrific problem. Especially for people that are older and whose eyes can't adjust as quickly and who may be starting to develop cataracts.
Thank you.......I'm having a hard time driving at night. My eyes don't adjust like they used to. I'm 53
@@SuV33358your time is up, if you have bad eyes you shouldn’t be driving anymore
@@GTZ7😂
Those people shouldn't be driving if they can't see well.
@@buca9696people got bills to pay and we live in a country where *most* of us need a car to get anywhere