The U.S. House Appropriations Committee wants the Secretary of Transportation to report to Congress on headlight brightness, according to Congressional documents.
Specifically, the committee wants the secretary to report on “what gaps may exist related to the impact of the brightness of low beam headlamps on the vision and safety of drivers, pedestrians, and other road users, including the effect of varied terrain, including hills and curves.”
That language comes from House Report 119-212, which accompanied Congress’ Consolidated Appropriations Act that was signed into law by President Trump on Feb. 3.
Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, a Democrat from Washington, introduced the amendment that included that language in 2025. The House Appropriations Committee approved it unanimously, according to Mark Baker, the president of the Soft Lights Foundation, an Oregon nonprofit that advocates against LED usage.
I covered why everyone’s headlights are so bright these days back at the beginning of 2026.
Basically, modern LED headlights are brighter and bluer than old halogen headlights, and regulations on headlight brightness and angles have not kept up with the times.
Here are some construction projects you should look out for with your (hopefully) reasonably bright headlights this week.
Franklin County ODOT construction projects the week of Feb. 20
Downtown Columbus road projects the week of Feb. 20
Transportation and neighborhoods reporter Nathan Hart can be reached at NHart@dispatch.com, at @NathanRHart on X and at nathanhart.dispatch.com on Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: US House committee wants report on headlight brightness| Getting There
Reporting by Nathan Hart, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
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