Turn Off the Lights So We Can See [OPINION]

Nighttime drivers know the blinding discomfort of oncoming traffic with brilliant, blue headlights glaring directly into the windshield making it temporarily impossible to see the road. There is a threatening irony prevalent on American roads as the crash-risk of headlight glare is becoming more commonplace in modern vehicles as a nighttime-driving safety feature. Many hold the assumption that brightness is directly correlated to safety and visibility, but nighttime driving conditions are becoming more hazardous with the increase in excessive lighting on U.S. roadways. To ensure safety on the roads, advanced lighting systems need to be improved and regulated to minimize crash-risks and diminish the modern dangers of headlight pollution.  

To establish a structural framework, a vehicular lighting system is comprised of several specialized lighting networks. The turn signal and running lights (or parking lights) are at the corners of a vehicle and are typically amber in color. The headlights are usually the largest and the brightest lamp and act as the main light source.  In the headlight, there is a low and high beam switch; the low beams ought to be used when there is a need to see the road, while the high beams offer a spot of powerfully bright light to cover a greater distance. Additionally, fog lights are designed to spread light horizontally to reduce scattering in fog or snow. Driving lights are mounted low on the front of a vehicle to assist in distance visibility at night. These are often brighter than the high beams and ought to be dimmed in the presence of oncoming traffic.  

The recent transition from halogen bulbs to xenon or LED headlights is distracting to oncoming traffic. High beams allow for a wider field of view when nighttime driving, but the use of high-intensity discharge headlights is threatening oncoming traffic with limited visibility. In rural settings, high beams have a more applicable functionality, but in a city or urban environment where traffic and streetlights illuminate the roads, the need for brilliant headlights becomes irrelevant.  

Xenon and LED headlights often appear blue or cooler in color versus the yellow halogen lamps. The visual discrepancies are caused by perceptual differences, however, as the eye reacts differently to different spectral wavelengths. The longer-wavelength headlights in older cars are less harsh on the eye because of the way the warmer light hits the retina versus how shorter wavelengths do, according to Underground Lighting. The French had figured out long ago that yellow lights are easier on the eyes because they shine well but the reflection coming back to the driver is as blinding as white light, according to Bimmer Tips. Some drivers choose to wear polarized yellow driving glasses to reduce some of the light brilliance and glare.  

The intention of headlights is to improve visibility and increase the field of view when driving in dark conditions. But with recent technological developments, the intention should include the protection from glare for oncoming traffic. The glare can be hazardous and temporarily obstruct vision for a number of seconds, which, at high speeds, is enough time to be potentially dangerous.  

Emergency vehicles also pose an ironic danger with mounted red and blue flashing lights that can be temporarily blinding. The Federal Emergency Management Agency regulates that the current emergency vehicle lighting standards are the most effective in signaling to other vehicles as recent research suggests that blue lights are more visible at night, according to FEMA. But when traffic is approaching the scene of an emergency the bright flashing lights may cause an unsafe distraction.  

The aim of the headlights is another factor of the brilliance of oncoming traffic that ought to be maintained by car owners. The headlight needs to be delicately aligned so as to not shine directly into oncoming traffic. Most headlights are properly aligned, but headlights installed after purchase can often be misaligned, according to Popular Mechanics. Some states require alignment checks, but these regulations are not required in every state as they should be through inspections or documentation.  

The functional appeal of bright headlights is relevant in rural circumstances but less so in well-lit, urban areas. For some, there is a cosmetic appeal in bright, dominating headlights. An Amazon ad promotes the brilliance as a positive feature but disregards oncoming traffic,  

“The SYLVANIA ZEVO® LED lets you update your vehicle’s fog lights with the stylish look of an LED direct replacement Bulb to match your HID or LED forward lighting system! Engineered to provide the ultimate in style and durability, the ZEVO LED fog bulbs will be sure to turn heads.”   

Operating a car should be more functional than fashionable and regulations should be in place at both the state and federal level to protect oncoming traffic from crash-risk glare.  

Xenon headlights are a German invention, but headlight pollution is not as prevalent in European countries than in the U.S., according to AudioMotive. Regulations outside of the U.S. include glare-reducing features like automatic light washing systems and aim requirements for high-intensity discharge headlights, according to a segment on the dangers of headlight pollution by NPR. Rules and specifications need to be implemented federally to regulate the aftermarket headlight installations and prevent crash-risk glare. Driving lights should use warmer colored bulbs to eliminate headlight pollution and high beams should only be used in the absence of oncoming traffic in dark areas. Xenon bulbs also pose potential health risks as certain samples can contain traces of metal mercury, according to Autoevolution. Regulations on these types of headlights are also enforced in some countries and should be applied in the U.S. as well. Manufacturers need to design and incorporate smarter headlights that are sensitive to oncoming traffic with better headlight placement in accordance with legal lighting standards. Legal protections should include fines and regular maintenance to ensure proper headlight alignment and bulb intensity.  

Ultimately, crash-risk glare can be prevented with a number of state and federal protections as well as practicing cautious and considerate driving habits. The number of accidents due to headlight pollution hazards is a neglected issue that deserves attention and action from the media and from a legal standpoint.  

Focus keyword: headlight pollution 

SEO title: Headlight Pollution is Dangerous for Driving 

Headline: Excessive Headlight Pollution is Causing Crash-Risk Glare 

Metadescription: Headlight pollution on American roadways is dangerous for drivers 

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