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Cities Press Ottawa on Blinding Headlights as New Data Downplays Crash Risk

Transport Canada has launched a national survey to weigh discomfort complaints against visibility gains.

Overview

  • Vancouver and Victoria have passed motions urging federal action on headlight glare, with Vancouver’s mayor set to press Transport Canada at the FCM meeting in June.
  • Transport Canada is running a nationwide study on glare and night driving, with results expected in May, and is participating in a UN task force focused on reducing glare.
  • IIHS analysis of 2015–2023 crash records finds glare cited in only about one to two of every 1,000 nighttime crashes, while better headlights correlate with fewer night and pedestrian crashes.
  • Automaker responses to IIHS testing have sharply reduced excessive glare, falling from more than 20% of systems in 2017 to just a few percent for 2025 models.
  • Optometrists and lighting experts report increasing discomfort glare and urge tighter rules and enforcement against aftermarket LED swaps, as industry warns unique Canadian standards could add cost and complexity.