Douglas FehrIf you’ve ever been driving down Groat Road, you know what to expect around every corner — headlights, headlights, and more headlights. And it seems to be becoming more common every year as companies release new vehicle designs. But, it seems no one’s going crazy over thinking the headlights are getting brighter, even if no one is too happy about it.
Late last year it was found that many people have the same issues with these new headlights: way too bright. The light-emitting-diode (LED) lights used in headlights now were implemented to save energy. Even though they accomplished what they set out to do, other areas were significantly worsened. The previous incandescent light bulbs were a much softer light, but ultimately produced more heat than they did light. This is what led the automotive industry to make the switch as soon as possible.
Some experts believe that the regulations for headlights need to be updated. It’s very hard to disagree. Every time I drive at night I’m always hoping I don’t have to think about flipping down my visor. In many ways, more than annoyance, the lights are a hazard on the road. Right now there is not a lot of sufficient data to attribute bright lights to car crashes. If anything, though, it’s a known fact that they attribute to annoyance on the road. Annoyance can quickly turn to road rage and that frustration can cause unfortunate accidents.
Even if there is absolutely nothing anyone can do to make these headlights disappear in an instance, I would love it if they did. Not only would this improve driving for everyone on the road, but it would likely reduce road rage. All that can be done is to wait and see if they can update the regulations.
