Car on road in rainy night.
Six in 10 drivers say headlight glare has become a problem after dark, according to a new report from AAA.
Among those who have trouble with headlight glare, 73% of drivers say the problem has gotten worse over the last decade, likely due to new headlight technologies and taller vehicle designs.
"Headlight glare has become a major source of frustration and concern for millions of drivers," said Greg Brannon, director of automotive engineering and research at AAA, in a statement. "As vehicle lighting technology evolves, so must our understanding of glare, its impact, and the steps drivers can take to maintain safety."
Most drivers (92%) say oncoming headlights are the primary concern, while about one-third have trouble with glare issues in their rearview and side mirrors too.
Drivers who wear prescription glasses have more trouble with glare (70%) than those who don't (56%). Female drivers (70%) also tend to have more glare problems than male drivers (57%).
Age and height don't seem to have an impact on glare experience, but pickup truck drivers (41%) are less likely to report glare than drivers of other vehicle types (66%).
On the flip side, AAA testing has found improvement in nighttime pedestrian automatic emergency braking performance, with impact avoidance improving from 0% in 2019 to 60% in 2025. Some of that could be due to improved sensor visibility due to headlight design.
Photo credit: Georgii Shipin/Shutterstock.com
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