There was a time — not all that long ago — when I could hop in my car at night, cruise the roads, and actually see where I was going. The lines on the road? Clear. Street signs? Legible. Oncoming traffic? Not a blinding assault on my retinas.
Now? I get behind the wheel after sunset and immediately morph into that stereotypical old guy I used to overhear:
“I just don’t like driving at night anymore…”
And I get it now.
Because somewhere along the way, something changed.
Maybe it’s my eyes. Maybe it’s modern headlight technology.
Or maybe the folks at the Department of Transportation have all agreed that headlights should be visible on another planet.
When Did High Beams Become Standard?
Seriously — are we all driving tanks now?
There’s no such thing as “low beam” anymore. Every SUV and pickup truck has headlights so bright they could signal passing satellites.
And if one of those things comes up behind you? Say goodbye to your rearview mirror and your peripheral vision. You’re not driving anymore — you’re being interrogated.
It’s Not Just Bright… It’s Blinding
You know what’s fun? Driving down a dark, two-lane road when someone’s LED headlights hit your windshield like a solar flare.
You blink. You swerve slightly. You think, “Is this how it ends?”
Then it passes, and you try to convince yourself your eyes will eventually adjust… just in time for the next light cannon headed your way.
Is It Me? Or Is It the Headlights?
Let’s be honest: it’s probably both.
Yes, age means our night vision gets worse. Yes, glare affects us more.
But also yes — modern headlights are objectively brighter.
You don’t need a medical diagnosis to confirm that.
Just drive past a 2025 model year vehicle and experience what it’s like to stare into the sun.
So What’s the Fix?
Well, besides driving only during daylight hours and avoiding left turns like a true senior citizen, I’m not sure. Maybe glasses with anti-glare coating? Maybe we all start lobbying for a “Dim Your Lights, You Maniac” law?
Until then, if you see me out on the road after dark, just know I’m gripping the wheel a little tighter, squinting like I’m reading fine print from 10 feet away, and whispering to myself, “You used to be good at this…”
