The problem is there is no maximum brightness in law for headlights
The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989
goes into considerable detail about what’s legal when it comes to headlights in the UK. The law doesn’t exactly specify a maximum legal brightness. But it strongly implies that there is one.
In short, it stipulates that all of your car lights must have an approval mark – often called an E mark – or a British Standard mark. After all, if you fit your headlights with a bulb that’s going to blind other drivers, then it won’t have any marks of approval. So it won’t be legal anyway!
But beyond this, the law essentially states that your headlights must be white or yellow, and that they must be bright enough to allow you to see around 100 metres ahead of you without blinding other drivers.
Thats it. Perhaps it does need updating?
Halogen was 600-900 lumens. HID were up to 4500 lumens. Decent LED headlights are 2500-3000 lumens but some car manufacturers fit headlights that are up to 12,000 lumens apparently. Some LED headlights in the Seat leon for example are only 900 lumens so LED headlights doesnt necessarily mean more light power
By law any headlight producing over 2000 lumens needs a headlight washer. But not sure if this applies to LED headlights? Certainly the BMW laser lights were 170% brighter than the standard LED lights and i would imagine standard BMW LED headlights were already close to 2,000 lumens so laser lights should have taken them well above.
But it does seem like a bit of mess atm and perhaps we do need to ask the question as to why we need cars with 12,000 lumen headlights? The may well have E mark approval but doesnt mean they should be allowed.
The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989
goes into considerable detail about what’s legal when it comes to headlights in the UK. The law doesn’t exactly specify a maximum legal brightness. But it strongly implies that there is one.
In short, it stipulates that all of your car lights must have an approval mark – often called an E mark – or a British Standard mark. After all, if you fit your headlights with a bulb that’s going to blind other drivers, then it won’t have any marks of approval. So it won’t be legal anyway!
But beyond this, the law essentially states that your headlights must be white or yellow, and that they must be bright enough to allow you to see around 100 metres ahead of you without blinding other drivers.
Thats it. Perhaps it does need updating?
Halogen was 600-900 lumens. HID were up to 4500 lumens. Decent LED headlights are 2500-3000 lumens but some car manufacturers fit headlights that are up to 12,000 lumens apparently. Some LED headlights in the Seat leon for example are only 900 lumens so LED headlights doesnt necessarily mean more light power
By law any headlight producing over 2000 lumens needs a headlight washer. But not sure if this applies to LED headlights? Certainly the BMW laser lights were 170% brighter than the standard LED lights and i would imagine standard BMW LED headlights were already close to 2,000 lumens so laser lights should have taken them well above.
But it does seem like a bit of mess atm and perhaps we do need to ask the question as to why we need cars with 12,000 lumen headlights? The may well have E mark approval but doesnt mean they should be allowed.
Last edited:
![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
Hence I am just abut to fit LED headlights to my 1967 MGB.