I wrote an advice column on this subject a month ago, and AAA is looking at this subject as well. If you missed the advice column, here it is:
Why Do New Car Headlights Blind At Night →
Headlight glare is becoming more than just an annoyance for American drivers — it’s turning into a widespread safety concern, according to a new survey from AAA.
The study, released March 24, found that 60% of U.S. drivers say headlight glare is a problem when driving at night, and among those drivers, nearly three out of four say it has gotten worse over time. The findings point to a growing disconnect between modern vehicle lighting and real-world driving comfort.
If you’ve felt like oncoming traffic suddenly looks like a high school football stadium headed your way, you’re not alone.
AAA says the biggest culprit is oncoming vehicles. Among drivers who reported glare as an issue, 92% blamed headlights from approaching traffic. Another 32% cited glare from mirrors, particularly rearview and side mirrors, as a contributing factor.
“Headlight glare has become a major source of frustration and concern for millions of drivers,” said Greg Brannon, director of automotive engineering and research at AAA, in the organization’s release. He noted that as lighting systems evolve, understanding how glare impacts drivers is becoming increasingly important.
Part of the issue appears to stem from changes in both vehicle design and lighting technology. Today’s vehicles — especially SUVs and full-size pickups — sit higher off the ground, which puts headlights closer to eye level for drivers in lower vehicles. At the same time, newer LED and HID headlights are brighter and whiter than the halogen lights they replaced, improving visibility but also intensifying perceived glare.
The survey also revealed some interesting differences among drivers. Those who wear prescription glasses were significantly more likely to report glare as a problem, 70% compared to 56% of those who do not. Female drivers also reported more difficulty with glare than male drivers, 70% to 57%.
Pickup drivers, interestingly, were less likely to complain about glare, with just 41% reporting it as an issue, compared to 66% of drivers overall. That likely comes down to ride height — when you’re sitting higher, you’re less likely to take a direct hit from someone else’s headlights.
AAA noted that age and driver height did not show a meaningful statistical impact on glare complaints.
There is a trade-off in play here. While brighter, more advanced headlights can create discomfort for other drivers, they are also helping improve safety in other ways. AAA said its own testing of automatic emergency braking systems shows significant gains in nighttime pedestrian detection. Impact avoidance improved from essentially zero percent in 2019 to about 60% in 2025, a jump the organization partially attributes to improved lighting and sensor performance.
In other words, the same lights that are making you squint may also be helping vehicles avoid hitting someone in the dark.
Still, AAA says more work is needed to strike the right balance between visibility and comfort. The organization is continuing to study headlight performance and glare, with the goal of developing recommendations for automakers and regulators.
In the meantime, there are a few practical steps drivers can take. AAA recommends keeping headlights clean and properly aimed, since misaligned lights can worsen glare for other motorists. Drivers should also avoid staring directly at oncoming headlights and instead focus slightly to the right side of their lane to reduce eye strain. If glare seems excessive, having a vehicle’s headlights inspected by a professional can help.
The survey was conducted Feb. 5-8 among 1,092 U.S. adults and is considered representative of the broader population, with a margin of error of plus or minus four percentage points.
Bottom line: headlights are getting better, but for a lot of drivers, they’re also getting brighter than comfortable. And until the industry finds the sweet spot, nighttime driving may continue to feel a little more like staring into the sun than it should.
Photo: Photomann7/Shutterstock.com.