Led car headlights
Posted by: Darren31985665
14th Feb 2025 08:50pm
How does everyone feel about led headlights in cars, do they blind you from oncoming vehicles should they be changed back to halogen
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Comments 49
cazter
I am not happy about the led headlights and they should be changed back to halogen.
Deanna
Yes led lights are blinding for up to a few minutes after the initial exposure and should revert back to halogen or something else
marty
No they don’t blind me and I think they give me a better
elemays
They’re far too bright and very distracting. I’m sure they cause accidents
paul
Change back to halogen. Led lights too bright
lynnef255
I get blinded by Led headlights, when a large car comes up behind me they are usually to close and all I can see is their lights in my mirror and I can't see the road, so dangerous
trinketz
They blind me and it makes me concerned about driving at night. I live in a rural area with a lot of Ute and four wheel drive vehicles and larger SUVs that sit higher than my small Mazda CX3. My car has the older style lamp headlights, but most other cars on the road are newer and have LED headlights, or are older and have installed LED lights and additional lights (fog lights) for inclement weather conditions, though people tend to use the fog lights in clear conditions so they can see the road. There are roads I drive on that don’t have places to pull over and there’s a lot of wildlife (kangaroos and wombats, etc) running on the road. I experience pain and blindness from LED lights. The utes and 4WD cars sit higher and shine right into my eyes. Sometimes I’m in a situation where I’m blinded by the lights and they don’t recover after the car has passed (or they’re behind me) and I experience black spots in my vision and there’s nowhere to pull over - it’s really scary when you also need to be able to see wildlife hazards on the roads too. I’ve also experienced increased eye strain, pain and severe headaches from night driving and having led lights shine in my eyes. A lot of the time it looks as though the lights are on high beam - they are incredibly intense. Some models - particularly new Mazdas - have what I’d describe as sharp blinding light, and the angle of their lights always appears slightly off and when they go over bumps it changes the angle of the lights, so they appear to flash. It really impacts my eyes. I automatically need to drive slower if someone with these lights is behind me because I can’t see as well, but then they end driving really close behind me and sometimes quite aggressively. I have considered trying to get night driving glasses but an optometrist said they reduce visibility at night and they didn’t recommend them. I really think car companies need to tone down the lights - they are dangerous and I’m surprised I haven’t had an accident yet (though there have been close calls!).
michele49
Wow! This is so much a problem for me when driving at night...I have lens after cataract surgery & find the glare in the last year so irritating! Please please let's get halogen back for headlights 👌👍
colincrawford70
I’m not sure about changing back to Halogen as LED lights are Much Brighter then Halogen and the Halogen lights on some cars are just hopeless as you can not even see anything with the Halogen lights
Elii
Yes they should start immediately!!
Those light destroy you eye sight.
I think the car manufacturers are in cahoots with the optometrists!!
Les
I drive a 2022 model MG and it is fitted with an adjustable switch which controls the height angle of the headlights.
So if I have a load in the back of the car I can trim the headlights downwards so I am not lighting up the tree tops or blinding oncoming drivers.
Maybe this should be a device fitted to all new cars with LED lights
trinketz
The problem with that is, lights need to be at a certain angle to pass a rego check in Australia and some people aren’t skilled with knowing how to adjust them properly and may not remember to put them back to a suitable angle. Often what is suitable for the person driving the car is dangerous for other people on the roads. I can’t count the number of times I’ve been in front of a car with lights that blind due to their angle, and it’s particularly worse when you’re travelling up or down hill - depending on how the lights are adjusted.
Colly diva
I think they should b against the law. If u need ur lights that bright to see at night u shouldn’t b driving at night. Coz ur blinding the rest of us.
Kristine
LED headlights can definitely feel blinding at times especially when the oncoming car has them angled too high. While they’re great for visibility for the driver using them, they can be a real issue for others on the road. I don’t think we should go back to halogen necessarily but maybe there needs to be stricter regulations on headlights height and brightness. A better balance between safety and comfort for all drivers would be ideal.
AdelaideM
As someone with a small car, I actually think LED car headlights should be banned, or a maximum brightness should be enforced. There are a few times where I've had a large car come up behind me, and when I've looked in my mirrors, had my vision compromised because they're so bright there's a few moments where I can't see clearly. Obviously this is incredibly dangerous, and further, I believe it's increasing people's desires for big cars, as they're less likely to be affected by it if they're also in a big car. It's leading to unnessarily large cars becoming more popular, even though for the vast majority of people, they're not needed!
trinketz
Wholeheartedly agree with this! I have sensitive eyes and a small car and I encounter this daily. I’m also in an area where small cars are a rarity (I live in a semi-rural area surrounded by a lot of farmland), so I’m always encountering large cars and bright LED lights. Worst thing is, because it’s a rural area the amount of kangaroos etc jumping on the road is staggering, and I’m always worried I won’t see them jump in front of me because the LED lights have caused retina burn.
funnysag
Quite often I feel the led lights are blinding me…They appear to be high beam as they are so intense.
bearman
I dont like them but also think of when was the last time you cleaned your front/ back windscreen as this can have a huge effect on the brightness you are seeing as the light becomes more dazzeling due to dirt/ grime build up
cofeecup
Good point, they are blinding and often view as flashing from behind and especially if you have a 4wheel drive behind a sedan, totally annoying!
pegz
Very distracting when someone behind has led lights. I can’t look in my rear view mirror as too bright. If they were toned down or not bright white but warm white it may be better for other drivers. I usually change lanes if I can’t stand it anymore and hope the pass.
pegz
Very distracting when someone behind has led lights. I can’t look in my rear view mirror as too bright. If they were toned down or not bright white but warm white it may be better for other drivers. I usually change lanes if I can’t stand it anymore and hope the pass.
michele49
I really don't like the glare of LED headlights ...I'm 75 & wear glasses just for reading but find that night driving now is annoying ...I do wish they'd go back to halogen
Bigbear
LED headlights are a constant source of vexation and should be regulated.
Excessively bright LED headlights on cars are more and more of a danger when driving. The simple fix is to bring back obligatory headlight checks when carrying out 'pink slip' vehicle safety certificates.
All new vehicles with LED headlights should have similar checks as part of the sale and registration. We individually pay for the tests, but we all pay for the problems with overly bright LED headlights.
jtmorri
I feel they are too bright and a lumens regulation for vehicles needs to be enforced. They aren't suitable for an urban application. I find led headlights of vehicles do blind me from oncoming vehicles as well as from behind, when a 4wd has them and they reflect in my mirror even after I reset my mirror against following vehicle headlights. I cannot wait until the person driving in the vehicle stops following me as I experience headaches and visual disturbances from the lights.
I don't know why people started using led headlights on their vehicles. A trend? Energy efficient? For camping and 4WDing? It's not as if people can easily change their vehicle headlights from led to halogen for different purposes, so they should have halogen headlights and specific led lamps for off roading etc that they engage for such activities.
trinketz
I’m In the country and everyone has them here - it’s a standard feature in new cars. The lights aren’t suitable anywhere - when you encounter them you’re blinded and then can’t see common hazards like kangaroos. We also have a lot of cars with additional LED lights - you can tell they’re an addition/modification, and they are only to be used in inclement weather (fog and heavy rain) but I find people use them
All the time. People are also using high beam a lot in rural areas because they worry about kangaroos, but they’re not adjusting them when a car is coming in the opposite direction or when they have someone in front of them. It’s just SO dangerous.
Rosh01
I don't think we should go back to halogens. LEDs last longer and are more energy efficient. I wish the LEDs used were slightly warmer so it doesn't hurt my eyes so much. After all, LEDs are capable of any colour temperature. In reality, manufacturers seem unlikely to prioritize warmer tones since cooler lights appear brighter and make their cars look "cooler".
I do quite like the pixel headlights in newer cars, especially seen in premium brands. They seem to do a really good job managing glare (at least when on low beams) compared to previous technologies. From what I've noticed, smaller headlight units seem to reduce glare. This, in addition to more sophisticated adaptive systems I think will make the roads a lot safer for the driver and other road users.
Rugbratzmum
I don’t like them, they are way too bright and looks like high beam are on
Bandit4165
No, I don't think there is much of a difference except for the odd old car with misalligned headlights.
Izzie
I am an older driver and don't drive a lot at night anymore, but I certainly notice the LED lights when I do. I feel quite unsettled with these blinding lights, and as a result I now think twice before driving at night. As autumn is here and with winter approaching, I will find it even worse, so my night driving is likely to stop altogether. In general, I find LEDs difficult, especially with the different desing array of lights on modern cars, and find them distracting, even during the day. I can drive at night in areas reasonably close to home because at least I know the streets well, but when going further I am generally asking someone else to drive who doesn't have the same problem with the LEDs as I do!!
AllyM
Personally, I feel after driving for so long i picked up the habit of looking just slightly to the side of LEDs to avoid being completely blinded. Doesn’t help if taller cars have their lights at the same height as my rearview or side mirrors, but it’s something. I think the change to LED is fine, the main benefit of halogens i found was better visibility in fog areas, but if you don’t get that often won’t change much.
ab
For me, reflecting on my most recent nights out I don’t recall any moments when I found myself being blinded by oncoming traffic. That said, I have experienced, in my deep dark past, times when motorists would have their high beams on and it is (at best) extremely annoying and (at the worst) incredibly dangerous if you add unfamiliarity or rain to the mix. However, I would hate to take a step backwards to halogens. I like the range of the bright white light that LED lights cast.
The answer might be for the Govt to step in and regulate, ensuring that all new vehicles have adaptive or self-leveling as a standard feature. Adaptive systems adjust the lights to optimum alignment regardless of the vehicles pitch (which may change as the load in the vehicle changes).
:)
bj
I hate the really bright lights heading towards me and when the driver fails to dip those lights I am lost for a few seconds. My eye sight has weakened with age so I dont drive much at night and never long open roads.
adelaidesurfer
Would an option be to angle them downwards more towards the road for surburban areas 🤷♂️
site77
Halogen lights produce the same brightness, but they are also less efficient, have a shorter lifespan, and provide less light at night. The balance here is about technology advancing, but also ensuring safety and comfort for everyone
jjdrer
I remember when some car lights changed in the mid 1980s some people called them a disabled nickname.
marchi
Led headlights are excellent for country driving at night where there are no street lights, but not necessary in suburban areas
Libbazz
Yes the LED headlights are painfully blinding when you have eye problems. Halogen lights were bright enough when driving around the suburban roads. You don't have to look like a Christmas tree lit up when in suburbia. If driving out west where there is no street or road lighting I can understand you may need brighter lights but that's where spotlights can be handy. I understand the latest cars come with the LED headlights so we all have to suffer for the sake of foreign manufactures. We can all go blind together!?!
musicmum
Yes they are blinding. On an extreme hot day, I will go for a walk just on dark around my area (yes it is a safe area) and nothing worse than getting blinded by an oncoming vehicle, I have to put my hand up to my eyes to block it. Yes change them back to halogens.
notnow
i have bought a new car with led headlights they come as standard, only a change from the government would change the fitting of led,s
jatz50
We tend to not drive out at night these days as some of the cars have such bright headlights it nearly blinds you as they come towards you. I actually have had to wear my sunnies to dim the lights.
Crocboy
I think back to halogen as a standard light. High beams are great for the bush etc but LED is unnecessary and as someone who is constantly blinded on my way to work i think its a problem. Has caused me lasting damage to my eyes.
mare
Change them back
Ellessri
With the trend for larger cars at the moment a lot of the headlights are at the level where their reflection in my side mirrors is blinding, there are also safety concerns for oncoming traffic, a lot of them are dazzling and this can cause a lot of safety issues. The same issue with the newer cars and the indicators - a lot of them seem to be placed that they are not visible until the car has merged and not overly safely as the indicator is not visible enough
KennethS
Some vehicles headlights are so intense they affect the vision of drivers in on coming vehicles, and constitute a road hazard. There is no question that they should have a greater degree of dipping, the driver may see the road better, but if a driver coming the other way is dazzled there is a negative safety factor.
baccus
LED headlights are like the espresso shots of car lighting—bright, efficient, and a little intense! ☕🚗 They offer better visibility, last longer than halogens, and use less energy, making them a win for safety and the environment. While some drivers feel momentarily dazzled by poorly aimed LEDs, the issue often lies in improper installation rather than the technology itself. Instead of rolling back to dimmer halogens, a better solution is ensuring proper alignment and adaptive lighting features that adjust brightness. After all, seeing the road clearly is a bright idea! 😎
Mumsey
Agree,very annoying,could be dangerous,halogen easier on the eyes.
pizzas57
No idea as don't drive at night as no need to. Yes I'm old oh well.
PGS
My car (ASX) can only have 60/80 headlights. I'd love to have 60/100, but they are not made (or allowed) in this.
The LEDs are a bit overbright though.
macey
I travel from Tathra (NSW far south coast) to Melbourne regularly and often find oncoming cars headlights can be “blinding” even in daylight hours, to the point that I wonder if they are on high beam. On the other hand though I can see the benefit of stronger headlights for night driving so not sure of the solution, perhaps they should be dipped to a lower sight line.