Are the blinding high-power headlights you see everywhere legal?

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Have you ever been driving at night and suddenly your eyes were blinded by the blue-white light of an oncoming car? After a few choice swear words, you then begin to wonder if such bright headlights could even be legal given the potential danger they pose?

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It turns out that the answer to this question is: sort of. Perhaps. Depends on.

Headlight technology has evolved and improved over the years. The incandescent bulbs of the 1970s were replaced by halogen in the 80s and 90s. Nowadays, most factory models use LED lights.

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Cpl. Michael McLaughlin of the RCMP Highway Patrol says each lighting technology is “capable of emitting a much brighter beam using less electrical power than the previous generation.”

The brightness of the lights on vehicles that leave the factory is – within reason – left to the individual manufacturers.

The BC Motor Vehicle Act does not require a minimum or maximum number of lumens – a measure of light intensity – in headlights, says McLaughlin. It simply means that they must be white, that they must be able to see an object 30 meters away when the headlights are low, and that they must not “meet the eye of an oncoming driver.”

So if you blink away temporary blindness after a car drives in the opposite direction, those lights are technically breaking the rules. But how do you prove that random lights “caught your eye”?

That's why transportation officials receive relatively few complaints about potentially illegal rays, McLaughlin says.

Vancouver Police Const. Tania Visintin agrees.

“There are all kinds of non-compliant aftermarket lights and other devices available to the consumer,” she says. But “we haven’t had any complaints about high-powered headlights here at VPD.”

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McLaughlin says the highway patrol “receives many, many complaints about driving behavior and code violations. “Lighting is not one of the most common complaints, but it still occurs.”

What about high-performance aftermarket lights that break the rules, which seem to be becoming more widespread?

“Some people definitely use aftermarket lights,” says McLaughlin. “A rule of thumb is that if a headlight is anything other than white – blue light, for example – then it is illegal.”

But there are also notable exceptions when it comes to light color: “Forward-facing fog lights and parking lights can be amber or yellow. There is no color restriction for off-road lights, but they must be covered with opaque covers on the highway.

“Like I said, the rules are complicated,” McLaughlin said.

He recommends sticking with the lights your vehicle manufacturer chose.

“Most modern vehicles have excellent headlights, and I encourage people to invest time making sure their lights are in good condition and on rather than spending money on cosmetic light upgrades.”

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For those who insist on an upgrade, he recommends reading Section 4 of the Motor Vehicles Act and then finding a reputable dealer.

If your lights are deemed unsuitable or are not operated properly, you will face numerous penalties such as: Such as fines for an unauthorized lamp, illegal use of an auxiliary headlight and failure to dim high beam within 150 meters of an oncoming car.

Patrol officers do issue tickets for such violations, but exact numbers are not available, McLaughlin says.

Although British Columbia has its own regulations, they are governed by the federal regulations on acceptable lamp technologies set by Transport Canada.

“Federal regulations determine the safety performance aspects of a vehicle when it is manufactured and delivered by the original manufacturer, but not the modifications made by dealers or vehicle owners,” says Sau Sau Liu, spokesperson for Transport Canada.

However, it is up to provincial and territorial governments to set rules and enforcement strategies for maintenance, such as: Such as whether headlights are properly aligned and adequately cleaned, as well as the sale, installation and operation of aftermarket equipment.

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According to Liu, modern lights are actually brighter and cast a wider beam, and that's for the safety of drivers, pedestrians and cyclists at night. However, for the same reason, it is important to care for them properly.

“Given their greater intensity and ability to project light further, misaligned or dirty headlights powered by these new technologies can result in more glare compared to older headlights,” Liu says.

Federal law was recently changed to provide greater clarity about new technologies, including regulations to prevent blinding oncoming drivers. These include limits on the height of headlights and the requirement for automatic leveling of new high-performance headlights.

Because of all this complexity, McLaughlin says the highway patrol doesn't see combating illegal and blinding headlights as a priority.

“Impaired driving, distracted driving, occupant restraint, high-risk driving, pedestrian safety, motorcycle safety and driving in proportion to conditions are higher priorities because they kill and injure the most road users each year,” he says.

jruttle@postmedia.com

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