Headlight glare becoming a growing concern for drivers, AAA survey shows

WASHINGTON - There are plenty of potential problems for drivers out on the roads: speeders, distractions, and apparently – headlight glare is raising concerns about safety too.

What we know:

A new survey from AAA found that six-in-ten drivers struggle with headlight glare, with 73 percent of those who experience it saying the problem has intensified over the last decade.

The problem is driven by several factors, including new headlight technologies and taller vehicle designs, Greg Brannon, director of automotive engineering and research at AAA said in a press release.

The survey also found that two-lane roads are particularly problematic for drivers dealing with glare, and that drivers who wear prescription glasses experience more glare than drivers who don't.

"The reality is, like all of these evolving automotive technologies that we’re seeing, many that are certainly designed to make us safer on the roadways, some of them while making us safe in some regards, certainly pose other challenges," AAA's Ragina Ali told Fox 5.

What they're saying:

In northwest D.C. on Tuesday, plenty of drivers said they've dealt with the problem firsthand.

"They’re bright as – I don’t want to cuss – but they’re very bright and sometimes disturbing," said Ash Hall.

Added Ryan Vulpis, "It makes me nervous when I come across that just because I’m like, ‘OK, I’m kind of flying a little bit blind here.’"

Dig deeper:

The glare isn’t necessarily leading to accidents.

A study published last October by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that while there are a lot of complaints about today’s headlights, glare is implicated in only a small fraction of nighttime crashes.