A TikTok video about glare from bright headlights is getting attention from drivers who say it’s unsafe to have the mega bright beams on the road.
Creator Alexa McNee filmed her car filling with white light as a vehicle with ultra-bright beams sat behind her in traffic, making it nearly impossible to see the road ahead. She warned, “I’m sorry, but if your lights are this bright, I literally cannot f***ing see.”
Social media users echoed McNee’s sentiment in the comments. People with astigmatism, autoimmune conditions, and other health issues that diminish drivers’ ability to see at night sounded off in the comments.
They said that getting blasted with light from aggressive headlights makes it all but impossible to see. Some said they avoid driving at night altogether.
Many called for legislation to limit the brightness of headlights for the safety of all. McNee’s TikTok was reposted to Reddit where people on the thread blamed loose vehicle regulations and the increased height of ever-bigger trucks for the bright lights putting everyone at risk.
“I have astigmatism im fighting for my life 🥺”
McNee’s video went viral with 2.4 million views on TikTok. She sat in traffic with the interior of her vehicle lit up by the car behind her, saying, “Like, I’m going to go blind. I can’t even f***ing see. What do you need a light this bright for, actually?”
She wrote in the post’s caption that even after the bright lights moved on that her eyes “were messed up the whole way home.”
@alexamcnee this was actually so bad my eyes were messed up the whole way home #fyp ♬ Mozart/Requiem “Lacrimosa”(1394506) – Mint
“Headlights should not be tall/high enough to point into the driver’s backwindow. It’s ridiculous. These trucks are TOO BIG.”
“If tints can be illegal then depriving someone of their sight momentarily while driving should also be illegal.”
“There does need to be a legal limit of how bright your headlights can be.”
Why are headlights in the U.S. so bright?
Regulations to limit the brightness of headlights have not kept up with advancements in LED bulb technology. LEDs are about four times brighter than comparable halogen bulbs used in older cars. LED headlights give off harsh, white light, as opposed to the softer, warmer light emitted by halogen headlights.
To make matters worse, automakers are incentivized to equip vehicles with bright lights to increase safety ratings. Because US regulations do not require manufacturers to test a car’s beam pattern, vehicles often roll off the lot with headlights that aren’t aimed properly. If these lights aren’t adjusted they can shine into other drivers’ eyes causing glare.
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