Business
Car headlights to be reviewed after drivers complain of being ‘blinded’ at night
Katy Austin,Transport correspondent and
Lucy Hooker,Business Reporter
EPACriticism from drivers over the dazzle from oncoming headlights has prompted the government to take a closer look at the design of cars and headlamps on UK roads.
Drivers say LED headlamps, which are increasingly common in new vehicles, are causing them problems and making it harder to drive at night
Research into the issue on behalf of the Department for Transport (DfT) has still not been published, but the BBC has learned that the government now plans to launch a new assessment of the causes and remedies.
New measures will be included in the government’s upcoming Road Safety Strategy, reflecting what is becoming an increasingly fraught issue for road users.
Both Ruth Goldsworthy and Sally Burt say bright headlights make it harder for them to get to their weekly SO Sound choir meetings in Totton, in Hampshire.
“Some of the lights are so bright you are blinded by them, for seconds,” says Ruth.
The beam from LED headlights is whiter, more focused and brighter than the more diffuse light from halogen lamps fitted in older cars.
“I’m not sure where to look, I look into the gutter,” says Sally. They are both relieved if someone else offers to drive.
Evening driving becomes a bigger problem as the winter evenings draw in, and especially after the clocks change, which means more people are driving in the dark.
The problem is worse for older people, whose eyes take around nine seconds to recover from glare, compared to one second for a 16-year-old, according to road safety consultant, Rob Heard.
“In severe cases, we might need to stop until our sight can recuperate,” he said.
A survey from the RAC motoring organisation found that more than a third of drivers were nervous about getting behind the wheel as the evenings get darker. Three quarters of respondents said driving was getting more difficult due to brighter lights.
The RAC’s senior policy officer, Rod Dennis, said so far little progress has been made on tackling glare, with regulations governing headlights dating back to 1989.
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “We know headlight glare is frustrating for many drivers, especially as the evenings get darker.”
What to do in the face of brighter headlamps:
- Ensure your windscreen is clean
- Wear glasses and keep them clean
- Avoid looking straight ahead, instead focus on the edge of the road
- Do not wear night sunglasses sold for night-driving, as they reduce overall light and won’t reduce glare.
Source: College of Optometrists
New research
The results of last winter’s government commissioned research into the “causes and impact of glare” have been delayed since the summer but are now expected in the next few weeks, the DfT said.
They will inform the upcoming Road Safety Strategy, which is also expected to tighten rules on drink-driving and eye-sight tests for older drivers.
The BBC understands the government is commissioning new research into the role of vehicle design in causing glare, and possible solutions, which will feed into international discussion of the issue.
Getty ImagesOne already well-understood source of glare is drivers retrofitting their vehicles, replacing old halogen bulbs with LEDs.
The housing for halogen bulbs is not compatible with LED bulbs, and a retrofitted car will not pass its annual MOT check-up.
As part of the government’s new approach the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has “stepped up surveillance” to stop the sale of illegal retrofit headlamp bulbs, the DfT said.
Seeing better
Cars sold with LED lights can improve road safety, Thomas Broberg, senior adviser for safety at Volvo told the BBC.
“Headlights have become brighter over the years to help drivers see better,” he said.
However, avoiding dazzle was “equally important”, he said.
“I would say poor aiming of the headlights and also the road shape are the major factors for glare,” he said.
For larger vehicles, such as SUVs, where lamps are higher off the ground, there is a requirement for the beam to point more sharply downwards, to protect oncoming drivers. But the angle can be affected by how many passengers it is carrying.
Some new cars with “adaptive features” adjust the lamps automatically if there is a change in load, but cars without that will need manual adjusting, Mr Broberg said.
Some new cars also have automatic headlamp dipping, which lowers the lights when an oncoming vehicle is detected.
Getty Images/Stephen Robinson PicturesHowever, Daniel Harriman-McCartney, clinical advisor at the College of Optometrists, said automatic dimming features can be “slow to kick in”.
“If it only works when the car is closer than it needs to be, or doesn’t work for cyclists, that can be a problem,” he said.
He is seeing an increasing number of patients concerned about headlamp glare, he added.
Dazzling headlights are cited as a factor in around 250 accidents a year, but there is no evidence that brighter lights are causing more collisions than previously, the RAC concedes.
Instead, worried drivers may simply be “taking the risk off the road” by not driving at night, with a big social impact, the RAC’s Mr Dennis warned.
He would like to see action that “strikes a balance”.
“We don’t want to go back to worse headlights. It is about what is bright enough.”
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The move is expected to provide an immediate and substantial boost to Nepal’s economy, particularly its tourism and hospitality sectors, which rely heavily on Indian visitors
The original restrictions on high-value Indian currency were severely tightened in Nepal following the 2016 demonetisation in India, which withdrew old ₹500 and ₹1,000 notes. Representational image
Nepal is preparing to officially permit the circulation of Indian currency notes above the ₹100 denomination, marking the end of a nearly decade-long ban that has significantly complicated cross-border travel, trade, and remittances between the two countries. The move, currently in its final stages with the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) preparing to publish the official notice, follows a crucial regulatory shift by India’s central bank.
The original restrictions on high-value Indian currency were severely tightened in Nepal following the 2016 demonetisation in India, which withdrew old ₹500 and ₹1,000 notes. Even after new notes were introduced, Nepal maintained the ban on all denominations above ₹100 due to concerns over the smuggling of counterfeit currency and security risks. This policy forced Indian tourists and Nepali migrant workers to carry large wads of low-denomination notes, leading to financial hardship, confusion, and frequent incidents of travellers being detained or fined for inadvertent violations.
India’s Regulatory Green Light
The pivotal change that has allowed Nepal to reverse course came from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). In late November 2025, the RBI amended its Foreign Exchange Management Regulations, formally allowing individuals to transport higher-denomination Indian rupee notes across the border.
The new rule specifies that individuals can carry Indian currency notes of any amount in denominations up to ₹100. Crucially, they are now permitted to carry notes above ₹100 up to a total value of ₹25,000 in either direction—both into Nepal and back into India. This amendment effectively removed the main legal constraint that previously limited the practical utility of higher-value notes for travellers.
Boosting Tourism and Easing Remittances
The lifting of the ban is expected to provide an immediate and substantial boost to Nepal’s economy, particularly its tourism and hospitality sectors, which rely heavily on Indian visitors. Businesses in border towns, casinos, and pilgrimage routes that cater to Indian tourists have been vocal in lobbying for this change, as the previous restrictions limited spending power.
Furthermore, the decision is a massive relief for the estimated two million Nepali migrant workers in India, who previously faced major security risks when bringing home their earnings in small denominations. The Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) spokesperson, Guru Prasad Poudel, confirmed that the process is nearing completion, stating they are preparing to publish the notice in the Nepal Gazette before issuing circulars to banks and financial institutions, ushering in a new era of smoother financial integration between the two neighbours.
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8th Pay Commission: Railways to trim costs to accommodate higher wages; maintenance, procurement, energy sectors in focus – The Times of India
Railways is implementing focused cost-cutting initiatives across maintenance, procurement and energy sectors to fortify its financial position before dealing with increased wage expenses anticipated from the Eighth Pay Commission recommendations.Established in January 2024, the Eighth Pay Commission must submit its recommendations within an 18-month timeframe.The previous Seventh Pay Commission led to wage increases of 14-26% for railway staff. Its implementation began in 2016, with tenure concluding in January 2026. The national transporter is currently emphasising expense reduction to enhance operational efficiency over the next two years to prevent financial strain from the forthcoming recommendations.The Seventh Pay Commission increased the wage expenditure by Rs 22,000 crore, including salaries and pensions, whilst the current projection suggests a potential rise of Rs 30,000 crore. “We have planned for the additional fund requirement,” a senior official told Economic Times, stating that internal accruals, combined with projected savings and increased freight revenue, would cover the expenses.Indian Railways recorded an operating ratio (OR) of 98.90% in fiscal 2024-25, resulting in net revenue of Rs 1,341.31 crore. For fiscal 2025-26, the target OR is 98.43% with anticipated net revenue of Rs 3041.31 crore.Officials anticipate annual energy savings of Rs 5,000 crore following network electrification completion.Additionally, yearly payments to Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) are expected to decrease in fiscal 2027-28, as recent capital expenditure has been funded through gross budgetary support (GBS).Officials confirm no plans for new short-term borrowing. “Annual freight earnings will also rise by Rs 15,000 crore when higher wages need to be paid in 2027-28,” the official stated.The Seventh Pay Commission implemented a 2.57 fitment factor, raising minimum basic pay from Rs 7,000 to Rs 17,990. Central trade unions advocate for a 2.86 fitment factor for the Eighth Pay Commission, potentially increasing the national transporter’s wage bill by over 22%.“Railways will ensure its finances are in a good condition to absorb the hit. Funds would not be an issue,” the official confirmed.The Railways has allocated Rs 1.28 lakh crore for staff costs in 2025-26, increased from Rs 1.17 lakh crore in 2024-25. Additionally, Rs 68,602.69 crore is earmarked for the pension fund in FY26, up from Rs 66,358.69 crore in FY25.
New Delhi: Gold and silver prices witnessed a sharp surge in the domestic market this week, tracking strong gains in global bullion markets. Gold prices rose by around Rs 4,000 per 10 grams, while silver prices jumped by nearly Rs 17,000 per kilogram. According to data from the India Bullion and Jewellers Association (IBJA), the price of 24-karat gold increased by Rs 4,188 to Rs 1,32,710 per 10 grams, compared to Rs 1,28,592 a week ago.
The price of 22-karat gold climbed to Rs 1,21,562 per 10 grams from Rs 1,17,777, while 18-karat gold rose to Rs 99,533 per 10 grams from Rs 96,444. Silver prices outperformed gold, registering a sharper weekly rise. The price of silver surged by Rs 16,970 to Rs 1,95,180 per kilogram, up from Rs 1,78,210 per kilogram a week earlier.
Earlier on Friday, Silver touched the Rs 2 lakh mark to hit an all-time high of Rs 2,013,88 per kilogram on the Multi-Commodity Exchange (MCX) during the intraday trade. The price of the future contract expiring on March 5, 2026, rose over Rs 2,400 during the day before settling at Rs 2,00462, up Rs 1,520 against the previous session’s closing of Rs 1,98,942.
“Gold and silver ETFs have been quiet heroes of the year, delivering standout returns even as equity markets saw bouts of volatility. Silver, especially, stole the spotlight — a rare combination of booming industrial demand from solar, EVs and electronics, alongside tightening global supply, pushed prices sharply higher,” said Nikunj Saraf, CEO, Choice Wealth.
Gold too held its ground and climbed steadily, supported by persistent central-bank buying and investors seeking safety amid geopolitical and inflation worries, he added. The gold future contract expiring on February 5 surged 1.87 per cent to close at Rs 1,34,948 per 10 grams on MCX on Friday. In the retail market, the 24-carat gold price settled at Rs 132,710 per 10 grams, up over Rs 4,600 from the previous day’s closing of Rs 1,28,596 per 10 grams, according to the IBJA.
The rally in domestic bullion prices is largely driven by continued strength in international markets, with both precious metals hovering close to their all-time highs. On the COMEX, gold was trading at $4,328 per ounce, while silver stood at $62 per ounce.
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