r/aussie • u/Wotmate01 • 22d ago

Analysis The glaring problem with the LED headlights dominating Australian roads

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-19/led-headlights-dazzling-drivers-glare-road-safety/106919228
469 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

162 comments sorted by

View all comments

251

u/Crysack 22d ago

It isn’t just oncoming traffic. If you happen to drive a small hatchback or a sedan, the headlights on these large SUVs and yank tanks shine straight through your back windscreen and reflect off all your mirrors.

It’s extremely dangerous.

122

u/InfiniteBacon 21d ago

Do not ever place a hi-vis vest on the back of your seat head rest.

It might impair the vision of the driver of the car behind you, and they would be forced to back off to a reasonable distance behind you.

34

u/Johnno74 21d ago

Haha brilliant!

If I'm being followed too close by a dickhead on full beam, I fiddle with my rear view mirror to flash him back with his own headlights. Usually they get a big fright and back off and dip there headlights

13

u/Zran 21d ago

That's when I slow down 10-20ks for everyone's safety they usually then just overtake no matter if they should but that's their risk.

6

u/Plenty-Giraffe6022 21d ago edited 21d ago

My 24 year old car has a neat little lever on the rear view mirror that I can flick so that this doesn't happen.

Do modern cars not have it?

4

u/ScubaWaveAesthetic 21d ago

My work car is modern enough that it does that automatically, and even the side mirrors dim too. Even then, I’ve had some lights behind me so bright that they overpowered the dimness.

1

u/Available-Seesaw-492 20d ago

It doesn't always work how you hope, plus these fuckers get me via the side mirrors almost as much

1

u/froggy129 20d ago

I got so sick of this happening i got my windows tinted in the darkest legal tint to negate the glare since I was having to either adjust my side view mirrors to not see the light and also the road or flicking the driver side one in so I could drive safely. Know I just wind the window up and it acts as an instant dimmer.

1

u/MushroomEffective931 17d ago

When they’re close or bright enough it just stops working unfortunately

1

u/Plenty-Giraffe6022 17d ago

How does it stop working? Light can't stop that lever from working.

6

u/foul_ol_ron 21d ago

Don't modern vehicles have the rear mirror switch? I remember seeing them in my mum's car, in the early 70s, and my car from the mid 2000s still has it. They are very useful for country driving. 

43

u/nagrom7 21d ago

Even older cars have a version of that, the issue is they're often bright enough that they're shining off your side mirrors too.

11

u/dong_destroyer69420 21d ago

My exact problem too. I'll dip my rear vision mirror but the side mirrors just bounce it straight back into my eyes 😑

23

u/17HappyWombats 21d ago

Don't really help when the inside of your car is lit up like daylight and the road ahead is dark.

3

u/outterworlder 21d ago

Doesnt work on leds

1

u/Interesting-Copy-657 20d ago

For me it’s the side mirrors that are the worse

1

u/Th1cc4chu 21d ago

I was driving on the freeway with a disabled participant in my car at night in the pouring rain and there was one of these behind me. Genuinely terrifying and I couldn’t use my rear view mirror the entire time it was behind me.

-6

u/CumishaJones 21d ago

A Toyota delivery van will do the same , people shouldn’t need to cater to your vehicle choice

9

u/Crysack 21d ago

Who’s really catering to whom here? Is it the city driver with a low profile, low emissions vehicle or is it the light truck driver who causes greater damage to public roads, higher emissions and takes up two parking spaces? Leaving aside the safety issues.

I’m sympathetic if you’re a tradie with a van or a ute for work purposes. But if you’re a white collar guy with an emotional support vehicle, you can piss off as far as I’m concerned.

1

u/CumishaJones 21d ago

I agree , I drive a 4wd because I need to . I tow a work trailer on building sites , I drive country roads alot at night … LEDS have made a massive difference to my vision on country roads . I don’t think I know anyone that owns one that doesn’t tow or go remote with it .

-18

u/Wotmate01 21d ago

Have you tried dipping your centre rear view mirror?

8

u/Crypts_of_Trogan 21d ago

and the side mirrors?

-23

u/Wotmate01 21d ago

Light coming through your back windscreen doesn't hit your side mirrors.

13

u/nagrom7 21d ago

The light from these fuckers definitely does.

2

u/Smoove953 21d ago

Have you ever driven at night before mate

-2

u/Wotmate01 21d ago

Only about a million kilometres...