Xenon bulbs should be illegal in cars. They are very popular and are the brightest type of car headlight. They also emit blue/white tones, as opposed to LED lights which can emit any tone.

This is another reason they should be banned; the blue/white light can cause more damage to eyes than other colors and is more blinding, according to topspeed.com. According to powerbulbs.com, some countries, such as the UK and Australia, already limit these lights because of their color.

Xenon bulbs are “an electric light that produces light by passing electricity through ionized xenon gas at high pressure.” These bulbs are commonly used for surgeries and film production, according to bulbamerica.com. Why, if they are meant for more heavy-duty use, are they allowed to be put into the hands (or cars) of the average person, where they can be shone into anyone’s eyes?

And, if someone is already uncomfortable with driving at night, these lights can make it worse for them. Lyssa Barker (‘20) says “I don’t like driving at night. The lights are blinding and I get disoriented and nervous. And so, I don’t drive at night if I can avoid it.”

I cannot think of a reason why a person would need to have these bright lights in their car. They should not be available for public use until they can be made more optical-friendly.