Vancouver city council recently approved a proposal unanimously, urging the federal government to tackle the issue of excessively bright vehicle headlights. The mayor will be drafting a letter to Transport Canada, urging them to take action to address the problem of overly bright headlights, including potential updates to national vehicle safety standards.
During the council meeting last week, Coun. Sean Orr, the initiator of the proposal, expressed his initial disbelief at the legality of these extremely bright headlights when he first noticed them on the roads. LED headlights found in newer vehicles are brighter, smaller, and emit a bluer light compared to the warmer halogen lights traditionally seen on cars. This heightened brightness creates a more concentrated and intense light that often causes discomfort and leads people to squint.
The proposal highlights the increasingly prevalent issue of excessively bright car headlights in Vancouver, which is raising concerns among drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike. Margie Sanderson from Vision Zero Vancouver, an organization advocating for improved street safety, emphasized that not only are headlights brighter now, but on larger vehicles, they are positioned higher up, directly shining into people’s eyes.
Sanderson pointed out that other regions like Europe and Asia have stricter regulations regarding headlight brightness compared to North America. She suggested that the federal government could implement regulations on manufacturers to address this issue effectively. Sanderson also mentioned that there are autobody shops equipped with technology to test headlight brightness for those interested in checking their own headlights.
To address concerns about being blinded by bright headlights, Sanderson recommended driving at a slower pace, maintaining a safe following distance, and utilizing the night mode feature on car mirrors where available. She stressed the importance of proper headlight aim to illuminate the correct areas of the road for optimal visibility.
The city council plans to present this proposal at the annual Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference scheduled for this summer to garner further support and attention on this critical safety issue.