Asked by
To ask His Majesty’s Government what plans they have, if any, to
introduce regulations for car headlight glare to reduce the
reported problem of drivers being dazzled, especially from
LEDs.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for
Transport () (Con)
My Lords, regulations are already in place to help prevent
headlamps, including those using LED technology, causing dazzle
and glare. Nevertheless, work is ongoing at an international
level to develop and introduce improved headlamp aiming
requirements. These are also likely to mandate automatic headlamp
levelling systems on new cars.
(Lab)
I thank the Minister for that Answer, which is rather better than
a rather complacent Written Answer she gave me. I am grateful for
that, because the RAC has reported that nine out of 10 drivers
think that some or most headlights are too bright and 90% of them
say that they get dazzled. The SMMT is aware of this, as is the
College of Optometrists, which assures me that it is not just
elderly eyes such as mine that are affected but youngsters’ as
well—as I see being confirmed around the Chamber. Will the
Minister agree to meet with me and others interested in this
matter to see whether we can make more rapid progress on issues
such as the aiming height of lights?
(Con)
I will certainly meet the noble Baroness and others who are
interested in this. She mentioned the RAC survey, which was a
survey—people were self-selecting in their responses. In 2018,
research concluded that overall there are no direct adverse
health effects from LED emissions in normal use. Indeed, they
might reduce light sensitivity due to the absence of UV
radiation. As I said, work is continuing on this. It is important
that we look at the research, but we have pressed the UNECE to
make further progress.
(LD)
My Lords, the noble Baroness asked about new technology, but
tomorrow is the 40th anniversary of the introduction of seat-belt
laws in the UK. They have saved many thousands of lives since,
yet in 2021 30% of those killed in car accidents were not wearing
their seat belts. The Prime Minister’s recent experience has
revealed the importance of raising awareness. The current £100
fine with no penalty points is out of kilter with the fine for,
for example, looking at your mobile phone, which is £200 and six
penalty points. Will the Minister guarantee that the Government
will review the law on seat belts with a view to introducing
penalty points?
(Con)
The Government are doing a significant amount of work on road
safety. Indeed, I took much of that work forward in the three
years that I was the Roads Minister. We will publish the road
safety strategic framework in the spring. That will look at all
different elements of road safety with a focus on how we can
reduce deaths and serious injury.
(CB)
My Lords, one thing that exacerbates headlight glare is that many
cats’-eyes seem to be either not effective or not present at all.
Can the Minister tell us what regulation there is to ensure that
cats eyes are installed and maintained in working order?
(Con)
I do not have information on the regulation of cats’-eyes to
hand. However, I will happily write to the noble Lord with
further details.
(Con)
My Lords, when I was young long ago, it was considered right and
courteous for motorists to dip their headlights for the benefit
of others on the road. Is this practice still continuing or is it
long out of date? I ask this question as a non-motorist.
(Con)
My noble friend is quite right. One should not drive at another
car with full-beam headlights on; it is right that they are
dimmed. However, many vehicles nowadays have a manual system for
levelling the aim of headlights; the problem is that not enough
vehicle owners know how to use it. That is why we asked the UNECE
to look very closely at the automatic systems that are available
to see whether that would help.
(Lab)
My Lords, I return to the point on road markings and cats’-eyes.
An awful lot of road junctions have become increasingly complex.
Good road marking is crucial to finding your way around them, but
it usually seems to be only white lines on dark surfaces, and
there seems to be a world shortage of white paint. Over and over
again, the best you can see is a shadow during the day; at night,
particularly when it is wet, you are all alone trying to navigate
the complexity.
(Con)
My Lords, the Government set out guidelines for local authorities
on road markings and all sorts of different things on the
streets. We are currently looking at revising these but, of
course, for most roads across the country, it is for local
authorities to make sure that they are marked up
appropriately.
(Con)
My Lords, would not the solution to this issue be an automatic
system that comes with any car purchased?
(Con)
I am grateful to my noble friend, as that is precisely what we
are looking at. Indeed, it was the UK that asked the UNECE to
look at the automatic systems available, do the research and
assess whether they should be implemented in new vehicles. The
discussions on this matter will proceed in April 2023.
(Lab)
My Lords, the Minister says that her department is carrying out a
review of road safety. Will it cover cyclists, who often travel
with no lights, go through red lights, travel at high speeds and
cause danger to the public?
(Con)
The noble Lord is absolutely right. Road safety is not just about
motorists; it is about everybody who uses the roads, including
cyclists and pedestrians. We need to make sure that all road
users can interact safely with each other to try to reduce
deaths.
(Lab)
The Minister seemed unconvinced by my noble friend Lady Hayter’s
evidence of how motorists feel about dazzling lights coming
towards them—it is certainly anecdotally the case from people I
have spoken to—but, if she discounts my noble friend’s evidence,
what evidence does the Minister’s department have on this issue,
which seems to be of considerable concern?
(Con)
I was just trying to point out that the evidence noted by the
noble Baroness, Lady Hayter, was from a survey. The Department
for Transport did scientific research into this matter in 2018.
As I said, the conclusion overall was that there was no direct
adverse health effect from LED light emissions. However, that
does not mean that we do not continue to take a great interest in
this. We recognise people’s concerns about dazzle and glare,
which, indeed, is why we have pressed the international community
to make some headway.
The (CB)
My Lords, I am not sure the health effects are the real problem.
I have read that quite a few accidents have been caused by this,
so maybe there is quite an urgency to the matter raised by the
noble Baroness, Lady Hayter.
I can provide some further evidence. Between 2010 and 2020, so a
10-year period, dazzle was a contributory factor—and indeed there
can be many contributory factors; you do not just have to have
one—in 0.25% to 0.34% of collisions. Far less than half a per
cent have dazzle as a contributory factor. However, we have also
looked at the trend over time and there has been no increase in
the amount of dazzle caused. Again, we will continue to look at
all evidence, but I can say that a very small number of
collisions even have it as a contributory factor.
(Con)
Does my noble friend know whether the self-adjusting lights can
be retrofitted?
(Con)
I am grateful to my noble friend. I do not know whether they can
be retrofitted, but I will find out for him.
(Lab)
My Lords, my noble friend mentioned the complexity of road
crossings. Does the Minister feel that the number of signs one
comes across, for example in London—telling one that one cannot
turn left, right, go straight on; where the cyclists go, what the
parking is like, what the speed limit has changed to—are so
numerous? Has there been any study into what a human being can
understand without running people over because he is trying to
look at them all?
(Con)
Yes, there is something called sign blindness where you get too
many signs and the brain gets overwhelmed. We are very conscious
of that, and that is why we are looking again at our guidance to
local authorities. In London, that would fall under the remit of
the Mayor of London, so the noble Lord may wish to take it up
with him. I am aware of some junctions near me that could
certainly do with some attention.
