By ALLEN MCQUISTONJemez Insurance Agency
Serving Los Alamos Since 1963
If you’ve driven at night lately, you’ve probably wondered if everyone has their brights on.
Most don’t.
Modern headlights are simply much brighter than they used to be — and while that helps the driver using them, it’s creating real problems for everyone else on the road.
What Changed?
For years, cars used halogen bulbs with a softer, yellow light. Today, most new vehicles use LED or HID lights.
They are:
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Brighter;
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Whiter (often slightly blue); and
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Designed to project farther.
At the same time, more people drive SUVs and trucks, which means headlights sit higher and hit other drivers directly at eye level.
The result? Even low beams can feel like high beams.
Why They Feel So Harsh
- It’s not just brightness — it’s the type of light; and
- Blue-white light scatters more inside the human eye, especially at night.
That causes:
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More glare;
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Slower visual recovery after being flashed; and
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Reduced contrast and depth perception.
Older drivers are affected even more because eyes become more sensitive to glare with age.
Add in misaligned headlights or aftermarket LED swaps in housings not designed for them, and the problem gets worse.
What This Means for Accidents
- Glare doesn’t just irritate — it reduces reaction time.
- When your eyes are hit with intense light, you experience temporary night blindness. Even a one-second delay at 60 mph means you’ve traveled nearly 90 feet without fully seeing what’s ahead.
- Glare also increases fatigue. Constant squinting and visual strain make night driving more stressful, which can lead to overcorrections, lane drift, and missed hazards.
- Brighter headlights can improve visibility for the driver using them — but they may reduce visibility for oncoming traffic. That tradeoff matters, especially on two-lane roads.
What You Can Do
If you’re being blinded:
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Focus on the right edge line of your lane, not the headlights;
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Dim your rearview mirror; and
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Keep your windshield clean inside and out.
If you drive a newer vehicle:
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Make sure your headlights are properly aimed; and
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Avoid aftermarket bulb swaps that create excess glare.
Technology has made cars safer in many ways. But sometimes improvements for one driver create new risks for another.
And at night, when visibility is everything, even a small disruption can make a big difference.