UK to review LED headlight glare rules after independent study

The UK government is preparing to publish the results of an independent study into headlight glare that could prompt changes to domestic and international vehicle lighting rules, officials said, as motoring surveys show around four in five drivers are worried about being dazzled at night. The Department for Transport commissioned the research more than a year ago to examine why modern headlights, especially LEDs, appear to be causing more discomfort and what measures might reduce the risk to road users.

The study, carried out by transport consultants and involving the Royal College of Optometrists, is expected to be released in the coming weeks and will feed into the government’s first Road Safety Strategy in over a decade. A Department for Transport spokesperson said the research will help “better understand the causes and impact of glare, which will inform new measures in the upcoming Road Safety Strategy.” Officials also said the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has increased checks on illegal retrofit headlamp bulbs and that sellers of unapproved bulbs could face fines of up to £1,000.

Motoring organisations and optometrists have long pressed for formal investigation....