AUTUMN 2025 DIGITAL - Flipbook - Page 14
HIGHWAYS IN FOCUS
Why are drivers getting dazzled by
headlights?
Premium quality automotive
accessory specialist, Ring,
is explaining the causes of
dazzling headlights, with
illegal bulbs found to be a
leading reason.
After the topic of glaring
headlights hit the national media,
Ring is reinforcing facts to bring
understanding to this topic.
Ring has been a driving
force in the industry, alongside
its parent company OSRAM,
to ensure that standards are
being met when it comes to
the performance and safety
of headlights. The company
revealed that during a routine
test it undertook of bulbs in the
marketplace, thirty three bulbs
from 昀椀ve manufacturers were
tested, with sixteen – almost half
– were found to be illegal. This is
just one example of the part Ring
plays to ensure bulbs in the UK
are safe and compliant.
However, the topic of glare
and dazzle from headlights
continues to be discussed, with
many not understanding the
underlying causes. While LED
technology means headlights
have become brighter and
whiter, these are designed
to ECE regulations, making
them safe for use on the roads,
showcasing that LED bulbs
being the cause of glare is a
myth.
The most common is
unfortunately inconsiderate
drivers that are not dropping
from high beam to low beam.
While there is a time and place
for high beam, inappropriate
use is down to driver behaviour
and not due to the car or its
headlights.
Another cause is
misalignment, so if a bulb
hasn’t been 昀椀tted correctly, it
is not set in the headlight unit
correctly, therefore can cause
dazzle to oncoming drivers
rather than putting light on the
road as intended, as the bulb is
pointing in the wrong direction.
Therefore, drivers should go to a
garage to ensure their bulbs are
aligned correctly. Drivers are also
getting whiter bulbs 昀椀t to their
headlamp units, that are legal
and compliant with the vehicle,
but because the light is whiter,
instead of the warm colour
of other bulbs, this is being
mistaken as LED bulbs that are
dazzling other road users.
There are also more SUVs
on UK roads than ever before,
their lights are naturally higher
than on conventional vehicles
and, although this shouldn’t
cause dazzle, the effect may be
accentuated when driving up or
downhill.
Retro昀椀tting bulbs is an
unregulated market, so anyone
can replace their regular halogen
bulbs with cheap HID conversion
kits or LED bulbs bought online
and that are illegal and not
designed to conform to legal
regulations and as a result may
be throwing out too much light in
a less controlled way.
The 昀椀nal, and most worrying
reason, is poor quality bulbs, of
which there are many, as brands
cut costs by producing cheap
and unregulated bulbs with
no research, testing or quality
control.
There has also been confusion
over LEDs causing glare on the
road. LED bulbs are currently
not road legal and should not
be confused with LED light
units that are a non-replaceable
component. Many new vehicles
that use these LED light units
have been homologated with the
headlamp units. These complete
LED headlight units are road
legal. LED bulbs though, remain
not road legal and as such any
that are sold by Ring or OSRAM
will always state ‘for off-road
use’ on the packaging.
There are upgrade halogen
and HID bulbs on the market
that are very popular, which
do put more light onto the
road, however that’s only
where the light is needed and
will not cause glare or dazzle.
High quality materials and
detailed engineering ensures
the light output is maximised
onto the road, conforms to the
legal cut off marks and is not
scattered across into the other
lane to dazzle. The whiter light
produced in these bulb upgrades
is more noticeable and human
eyes are drawn to notice whiter
colour temperature light, but that
is different to causing glare.
Marketing Director for Ring,
Henry Bisson, said: “Glare
and dazzle continue to be a
massive discussion point among
drivers. However, there is a lot
of misinformation out there. We
feel that it’s a duty of ours”.
UK drivers face 1.5 million new
potholes this winter with 500,000
likely to remain unfixed
Triopsis analysis shows road
maintenance falling behind
despite strong local authority
efforts
UK drivers could face an
estimated 1.2-1.5 million new
potholes on British roads this
winter, with up to 500,000
likely to remain unrepaired
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by spring, according to new
analysis of highway maintenance
transparency reports from 62
local authorities by Triopsis,
the specialist highways AI
scheduling software provider.
The analysis reveals that
despite the best efforts of
local authorities and increased
budgets, road deterioration is
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2025
outpacing repairs across much of
the UK.
High-risk areas such as West
Sussex, York, and Stockport
could experience pothole
formation rates 40-50%
above the national average,
signi昀椀cantly increasing the
likelihood of vehicle damage for
motorists.
Analysis of the local authority
reports also reveals a £16.8
billion estimated UK road repair
backlog. However, with local
authorities typically only able to
repair 60-70% of potholes that
form during winter months, the
backlog will continue to grow
into 2026.
