Federal survey asks drivers if modern vehicle headlights are too bright

Drivers have two weeks to give feedback on headlights and how driving at night impacts them. CTV News Edmonton's Amanda Anderson reports.

Technology in vehicle headlights has advanced in recent years, allowing drivers to see the road better at night, but it has a drawback: they can prove blinding to oncoming drivers.

Modern headlights are brighter than ever before, certainly allowing for better visibility both for the driver and of vehicles, given the use of xenon and LED lights instead of the longtime incandescent ones.

But given the rise in complaints about them from other drivers on the road, Transport Canada is collecting responses from drivers on its website about the brightness of headlights and what, if anything, should be done about it. The survey runs until April 20.

Natalie Shanahan is one Edmonton driver who notices the brighter lights, especially from behind.

She says she doesn’t have an issue with them, for the most part, but “there are a few” issues, she told CTV News Edmonton on Monday.

“If you’ve got a big truck right behind you and you’re a smaller car, that it’s really bright in your rearview mirror, that’s kind of the worst,” Shanahan said. “But when I’m face on, I don’t mind. Some of them are almost like a bluish hint. That’s not the ideal.”

Christian Gersdorff, a longtime auto technician and sales executive, says headlights that are too bright are often aftermarket ones.

“People who are replacing the bulbs that were in their vehicles all of a sudden are putting those bright blue headlights in there,” Gersdorff told CTV News Edmonton. “A person really has to make sure that they’re checking what the light bulbs themselves say to make sure they’re actually allowed to be used in their car.”

Some vehicles have options for rearview mirrors to automatically adjust for brighter headlights from other vehicles. Gersdorff says vehicle owners can check documentation if they’re unsure if theirs is equipped with such technology.

“It’s a matter of getting to know the vehicle that you own specifically and just being better prepared in case somebody does come up behind you with their high beams (on),” he said.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Amanda Anderson