Motorists could be slapped with a hefty £5,000 fine for breaking a simple rule many may be ignoring. Drivers could be hit with a hefty bill for dazzling other road users with bright car headlights.
Using car headlights incorrectly may represent a significant road hazard with individuals running the risk of being fined. The Highway Code makes clear that road users should not use their lights to “cause discomfort to other road users”. These can include pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders as well as fellow motorists.
Alison Ingram-Seal, Product Manager at Saga Car Insurance, stressed bad headlight alignment could be to blame.
Alison explained: “If a car’s headlights are pointing too high or too low, they can create excessive glare. This glare can reflect off surfaces like your windscreen or road signs, making it harder for you to see clearly.
“When you experience glare from oncoming traffic, it might indicate that your own headlights are contributing to the problem. Properly aligned headlights should illuminate the road ahead without causing excessive glare for you or other drivers.”
Bright headlights may be as simple as using the wrong setting, such as flicking on full beams instead of dipped headlights.
Motorists found to be unnecessarily dazzling individuals could be hit with charges for driving without due care and attention.
This carries up to a £5,000 fine, between three and nine penalty points on a driving licence and even a discretionary ban.
A recent poll from the RAC has revealed that almost all drivers agree that vehicle headlights are too bright on the road.
More than a third (36%) believe most are too intense, while a further 59% admit that some headlight beams are too bright.
The poll also found 61% who suffer from headlight glare believe that the issue has gotten worse over the past 12 months.
According to the survey, only a quarter of respondents (26%) disagreed that headlight glare was becoming more of a problem.
Experts at BigWantsYourCar added: “A simple headlight check can ensure that you are not unintentionally dazzling other road users or creating dangerous driving conditions.
“It’s vital that headlights are used responsibly, especially in low-visibility conditions, to keep the roads safe for everyone.”