If you`re a mouse you`re lunched in the headlights

http://www.borer-cartoon.ch/Cartserien/12%20T...

No "the"

with or without "the," doesn't matter.

never heard dear in the headlights in 35 years of speaking English (BE)...

I agree with dude (Happy New Year, BTW). The phrase is common both with and without "the". It may be AE-only, however.

Just chipping in to support dude and Norbert. It's a pretty standard phrase here in California - once again AE.

And Happy New Year - still 5 hours away for me.

I personally have never heard this without the "the". But maybe that's CE (Canadian english)??