LED lights create new distraction for drivers

LED streetlights are designed to provide a brighter light across the spectrum when working properly.  When the light malfunctions, it typically flickers slowly or flashes rapidly, resembling a strobe light.  

The exposure to a strobe light can cause “flicker vertigo” which can trigger several symptoms including disorientation, nausea, rapid blinking, and muscle rigidity.  The symptoms, according to research, are typically temporary and disappear when the individual is removed from the area.  Flicker vertigo symptoms are similar to those associated with epilepsy.