Modern headlights just aren't cutting it in the U.S., according to a new study released by AAA.

The association wants safety regulators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to update federal rules after recent testing showed 80 percent of headlights found on recent vehicles might not illuminate on unlit roads while moving at speeds of up to 40 mph.

"AAA's test results reveal that headlights found in U.S. vehicles fall short on safety," said Megan McKernan, manager of the Automobile Club of Southern California's Automotive Research Center in a company statement. "By failing to properly light roadways at moderate speeds, a pedestrian or animal may not become visible to a driver until it's too late to stop."

For their study, AAA assessed headlight "capabilities and limitations" to figure out the advantages offered by more advanced technologies. This meant comparing LED headlights, halogen and high-intensity discharge (HID) headlights with one another, according to the AAA report.

AAA said it "looks forward" to working with lawmakers to make sure federal safety regulators improve future lights.

"While it's encouraging to see the safety benefit that newer headlight technology offers to drivers, there's still room for improvement," said John Nielsen, AAA's managing director of automotive engineering and repair in a company statement.

Government regulations limit the light output for vehicles sold in the United States, compared to headlights available on European rides.

Testing was conducted at the Automobile Club of Southern California's Automotive Research Center.

See Now: OnePlus 6: How Different Will It Be From OnePlus 5?