Popular car headlights banned in one state over surprising road safety concern - The Mirror US

The growing popularity of LED headlights in new vehicles over the last decade, backed by the promise of longer lifespans and better visibility, has been met with a rise in complaints from drivers who say headlight intensities have become a hazard on the road.

While LED headlights are legal in all 50 US states when properly installed as original hardware from the vehicle manufacturer, the fine print in some regulations may allow drivers to be ticketed in specific circumstances. Depending on the components of their replacement LED headlights, drivers across the US may be unwittingly violating federal law and face hundreds of dollars in fines if caught.

Massachusetts authorities have begun inspecting LED lights for violations, according to Unión Rayo. Fines for headlight-related violations can vary between states, with amounts between five dollars and several hundred dollars. If an illegal LED headlight is involved in an accident, the fines can be much higher.

How will drivers know whether or not their headlights are illegal? The answer lies in a letter written by former Acting Chief Counsel for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration John Donaldson in February 2024.

The letter was a response to an inquiry about the legality of LED headlights made by Mark Baker, founder and president of the Soft Lights Foundation, an Oregon-based non-profit that advocates for safety standards on LED lights.

Donaldson explained in his letter that headlight regulations are based not only on the light source itself, but on the peripheral components such as the lens and reflector. Headlamp bulbs may be replaced by drivers, he wrote, but only if those bulbs meet specific requirements.

“While LED light sources that are part of an integral beam headlamp are permitted… no LED light source is currently permitted to be used in a replaceable bulb headlamp,” he wrote.

LED lamps are legal in headlight systems designed by car manufacturers, which are subject to their own set of safety standards. However, they are not approved as replacement bulbs.

The most common mistake drivers make is trying to convert their stock standard halogen headlight housing to fit LED bulbs, according to emergency vehicle lighting supplier Ultra Bright Lightz. Doing so can create dangerous glare for incoming drivers, even if the LED bulbs themselves are approved under Department of Transportation standards.

Massachusetts law states that vehicles must have headlights bright enough to illuminate road objects within 115 feet. The headlights must also be adjusted while driving to avoid blinding oncoming traffic.

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