Visibility of objects against dark backgrounds with street and vehicle lighting

Photometric data obtained in streets lighted to the standards association of Australia street lighting code, as ca 19, part 1, traffic routes, 1964, are reported. Using the concept of revealing power it is shown that the visibility of pedestrian like objects viewed against the road surrounds can be poor. The use of the American British low beam can only enhance this poor seeing in a limited range of situations and will generally adversely effect the visibility potential throughout a whole street lighting installation. It is suggested that headlight practice be modified to reduce glare from that source, and that street lighting practice be modified to enhance visibility in streets with intrinsically dark surrounds. The concept of multi level lighting is introduced to replace the single minimum level of the SAA code (A).