Vancouver city council unanimously approved a resolution last week, requesting the federal government to take action on excessively bright vehicle headlights. The mayor will be sending a letter to Transport Canada, urging them to address the problem of overly bright headlights by updating national vehicle safety standards.
During the council meeting, Coun. Sean Orr, who put forth the motion, expressed his initial surprise at the legality of these headlights when he first encountered them on the road. Experts point out that the LED headlights found on newer vehicles emit a brighter, bluer light compared to the warmer halogen lights that were more common in the past, leading to discomfort and squinting among individuals.
The motion highlights the increasing prevalence of extremely bright car headlights in Vancouver, which is causing concern among drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. Margie Sanderson from Vision Zero Vancouver, an organization advocating for improved street safety, noted that not only are the headlights brighter, but on larger vehicles, they are also positioned higher, directly affecting visibility and safety.
Sanderson emphasized that jurisdictions in Europe and Asia have more stringent regulations regarding headlights compared to North America. She suggested that the federal government could impose stricter rules on manufacturers to address this issue effectively. Sanderson mentioned the availability of technology in some autobody shops to measure headlight brightness for concerned individuals.
To mitigate the blinding effect of bright headlights, Sanderson recommended driving cautiously, maintaining a safe following distance, and utilizing the night mode feature on car mirrors where available. She stressed the importance of proper headlight alignment to ensure optimal road illumination and visibility.
The city council plans to present this resolution at the upcoming annual Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference to raise awareness and seek further support on addressing the concerns surrounding excessively bright vehicle headlights.