Why there is so much debate.

[RobN]

You're right, I wasn't considering EVs. I was hoping for something more frequent - you may not have your tires changed even once a year, unless you're swapping winter and summer tires.

Tire changes ought to trigger a headlight alignment anyway - change the tires and you might change the ride. They made the stupid TPM sensors mandatory (not sure why they did that, other than a subsidy for sales of the stupid things - the one in my old Buick used to go bad about a month after they were replaced with OEM versions), they can make headlight alignments mandatory, too.

For states that do emissions testing, add a headlight alignment test. For the rest of us, there aren't really good places to force that check.

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[Glen Baker LLC]

Agree, that brighter lights only make it safer for the 2/3 on the road as you point out. And that brings up an issue for sure here on what we should do if we can make roads safer for people and pedestrians by increasing lighting, what happens to those with poorer night vision who become even more dangerous behind a wheel.

Again, I don't want my kid hit by a car because someone has poor crappy dated lighting. I also don't want someone behind the wheel if a bright light makes them blind and they are unable or unwilling to get nighttime driving glasses to cut down on the glare.

Headlight inspections might be a large help here to make sure lights are properly fit and not shining in someone's eyes when driving. But yes, as roads become safer at night, maybe that should be something, if you are getting behind the wheel of a vehicle your night vision should be tested and corrected if not up to par.

I don't know what the answer is, but I know there's a LOT of deer around me, we don't have bike lanes on our country roads and up north here it gets dark pretty early and these things are a godsend for safety in my situation.

The problem with government inspections is graft. They become more of a money making endeavor than a safety inspection and payoffs or bribes abound. Starting Jan. 1 Texas ended their inspections of non-commercial vehicles.
Why is Texas getting rid of state inspections?
The Texas state legislature ended the requirement last year with a new law going into effect on Jan. 1, 2025. Ensuring safe vehicles will now be a personal responsibility. “Vehicle inspections are costly, time-consuming, and provide little benefit,” State Sen.Jul 1, 2024
Amen

 

[CurtisB]

Fun fact, headlights have always had restrictions. But they were based on wattage instead of lumens. Now that we have led headlights that are way more efficient, the old restrictions make no sense and don't apply anymore. so oems can effectively make them as bright as they want in a completely individualistic "WELL ITS FINE FOR ME" mentality that is the bane of our society.

I've got antistigmism and my wife doenst. She complains more than i do. We both drive low-ish vehicles and live in country back roads and there is absolutely 0 reason these headlights need to be so bright. Thats why high beams exist. I will go almost completely blind for 3-5 seconds after passing some vehicles, and no I'm not staring into the headlights. They're just laser beams directed at your skull. Pair it with a tall vehicle and it's annoying as hell. All they need to do is restrict the peak lumens at xyz distance and I can stop getting eye f*cked by every new car that passes me at 6pm.

TLDR: restrictions already exist but are outdated, your day lights DO NOT NEED TO BE SO BRIGHT because that is why highbeams exist.

Totally agree. I have to pull over and let some cars pass me as I too get blinded for 3 to 5 seconds after the my retina's get zapped. Here's the thing, the older you get, the slower your eyes can retract from brightness, thus the 3 to 5 seconds blindness.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

You're right, I wasn't considering EVs. I was hoping for something more frequent - you may not have your tires changed even once a year, unless you're swapping winter and summer tires.

Tire changes ought to trigger a headlight alignment anyway - change the tires and you might change the ride. They made the stupid TPM sensors mandatory (not sure why they did that, other than a subsidy for sales of the stupid things - the one in my old Buick used to go bad about a month after they were replaced with OEM versions), they can make headlight alignments mandatory, too.

For states that do emissions testing, add a headlight alignment test. For the rest of us, there aren't really good places to force that check.

In Nevada Emissions Testing is only done in two counties Clark County and Washoe County. It is not done by the state. It is done by independent State Certified testers more often in free standing 12x12 ft buildings no place for a headlight test.

 

[slashsnake]

The problem with government inspections is graft. They become more of a money making endeavor than a safety inspection and payoffs or bribes abound. Starting yesterday Texas ended their inspections of personal vehicles.

That makes it a tougher issue to fix then. Improved lighting isn't going away, people can grumble all they want, but that's not happening. So, if it's not about making the equipment in place safer, then we need to look at the other side of the equation, the operator. And maybe having a test for those who have poor night vision and daytime only licenses for them?

Or requirements... My mom can't drive without her glasses due to her uncorrected vision. Bring this over to night driving too. As noted about 1/3 of people suffer from decreased night vision ability. So anti-reflective coated lenses that reduce glare by 80% and increase clarity. I get it, for people who really suffer, sure, most will just pull over and let cars pass or hope for the best, but that's not safe... Maybe bringing that requirement would help (which exists already, but is just exacerbated by improved lights). Want to renew your license, show up with the glasses that keep you and others on the road safe.

 

[Randorita]

We can all talk about adjusting our headlights and even do it, but most people will never do it. With state inspections ending, or having ended, and most of those never adjusting them either, headlights will remain aimed high and to the left, blinding other drivers. Oncoming lights bother me, and I have astigmatism, but I am only blinded while the lights are in my eyes. Don't get me wrong, I love the bright lights that allow me to see better, but there needs to be some type of automatic aiming when meeting others on the road. It has to be automatic, or other drivers will not do it.

Should I wear night driving glasses? Companies selling glasses say we all should. Experts disagree. Any tinted glasses cut down glare, but also cut down your ability to see. These are the same as shooting glasses, which increase contrast during the day to make aiming guns easier. For night, not so much. You want to see as much as you can. Bothered by headlights? I was taught when learning to drive, back in the horse drawn carriage days, that you should look down and to the right when meeting cars on the highway. Good advice. The bad part is that there are so many drivers now that you will continually be looking down and to the right and miss what is right in front of you. There is no good answer here without adjusting the aim of everyone's headlights.

 

[HeyBales]

I think this is on the right track. Lights shouldn't be hitting a person full bore in the face.

Problem is with different height vehicles and therefore face height, along with undulating roads - someone is always going to get a full bore face blinding.

I still do from some SUV's, and raised trucks that sure appear factory height, but perhaps the headlights where they shine are indicators that a kit was used, where they probably didn't follow some instructions in there that said to adjust your lights when done.

I know I'm going to try to find this flat space with wall I can put tape on to do the adjustments.

I like that our lights have that pretty flat upper cutoff - but I think I am higher due to some sandbags in bed to improve the ride.

 

[Kenv24]

Here in MA we still have an annual inspection. When I was younger it was twice a year. Part of this inspection includes testing headlights for alignment. Not all states do.... But should... It would help greatly. The state my brother lives in has no annual inspection, assume others do not as well.

My prior vehicle was a 2020 Escape, when I got my new Mav in September I noticed that headlights definitely appear to be brighter. Although I did not feel that lights bothered me in the Escape, they do somewhat driving the Mav. With the Mav being a little higher (1.3) inches, it surprises me that they seem brighter. All I can think of is that the tint on the Mav windshield is less than that of the Escape. Not sure how to find out if this is true....

The reason they appear to be brighter in the Mav is because the REALLY bright low beams didn't start appearing until around 2022. Your Escape was a 2020. It's not the windshield...it's the newer bright low beams.

 

[Dukeallen]

I really disagree with pushing a mandate onto large portion of the population that aren't affected. For the benefit of a few.
For those drones who will regurgitate ADA. I can use a ramp or stairs. I don't mind handrails in stalls or bathtubs. At my age lower urinals is about where the stream is now a days.
I'm old, I don't prefer to drive at night, if I don't have too.
What I prefer, is the bright white headlights on my Maverick, more than the yellow halogen headlights on my wife's Escape.
It's kind of funny that the 'Poor Night Vision' that's mentioned above is helped by having brighter, whiter headlights .

1/3 of the population isn't "a few"

 

[lm126027]

The reason they appear to be brighter in the Mav is because the REALLY bright low beams didn't start appearing until around 2022. Your Escape was a 2020. It's not the windshield...it's the newer bright low beams.

Keven24. Just got my MAV the end Sept 24. My Escape was a Titanium that had full LED lights all around. It was noticeable, the 1st time I drove the MAV at night that headlights on oncoming traffic were definitely brighter than what I saw a few days earlier while driving the Escape. It has nothing to do with the Escape lights, has to do with what I see of oncoming traffic thru my windshield.

 

[Kenv24]

Keven24. Just got my MAV the end Sept 24. My Escape was a Titanium that had full LED lights all around. It was noticeable, the 1st time I drove the MAV at night that headlights on oncoming traffic were definitely brighter than what I saw a few days earlier while driving the Escape. It has nothing to do with the Escape lights, has to do with what I see of oncoming traffic thru my windshield.

If you re-read my thread, I said nothing about your Escape lights…. just the fact that back in 2020 the lights weren’t as bright on as many cars when you were looking out of the Escape window as opposed to the Maverick window….which there are tons more of the super bright LEDs

 

[Kenv24]

I made these cool glasses to hold up when they are coming at me!!!

 

[Bad Samaritan]

The bigger issue is the USA won't allow "auto adaptive" headlights which can aim away from oncoming traffic etc... Europe has had them for years.

I rented an Escape in Canada last August. It had auto-dimming headlights for the upcoming traffic.
Is that feature not available in the US?? I don't think Ford builds vehicles for Canada any differently than it does for the US... Right? Or is auto-dimming available for the Escape, but not for the Maverick?

 

[lm126027]

If you re-read my thread, I said nothing about your Escape lights…. just the fact that back in 2020 the lights weren’t as bright on as many cars when you were looking out of the Escape window as opposed to the Maverick window, which there are tons more of the super bright LEDs

You should reread mine as well. I am not talking 2020, talking Sept 24 for both vehicles. I am comparing what I perceived I was seeing thru the windshield of my Escape in Sept 2024 and what I perceived I was seeing thru the windshield on my new Mav in Sept 2024. Being a week or so apart, there should be no appreciable difference in the % of vehicles in either category. I googled to see if there was a difference in the tint on the 2 vehicles. Per Google, both came back at 70% VLT minimum... I even went out an checked the Mav. Yup, windshield says 70 min. So... No clue as to why I feel that the headlights appear brighter with the new MAV. I find the increased brightness very noticable.

 

[RobN]

I rented an Escape in Canada last August. It had auto-dimming headlights for the upcoming traffic.
Is that feature not available in the US?? I don't think Ford builds vehicles for Canada any differently than it does for the US... Right? Or is auto-dimming available for the Escape, but not for the Maverick?

We're not talking about dimming from brights to regular - which the Maverick can do, depending on model and configuration. I think everyone can agree that leaving your brights on when oncoming traffic is near is inconsiderate at best, and can be dangerous.

We're talking about how even the "dim" headlights today can be far brighter than they used to be and cause problems for oncoming drivers. Some of that is because they ARE brighter, and some of it is because the color temperature many LEDs use can be more blinding than traditional headlights. Those problems are exacerbated when the headlights aren't aimed properly.

Alternately, some European headlights can have a lot more real-time adaptability - including turning off the light closest to oncoming traffic or dimming the center of the lane to focus the lights on the edges of the lane, among other possible features (and gimmicks). Unlike what one person said, that we just need to deal with "improved lighting," there are even better improvements possible which could make it safer for EVERYONE on the road.

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