THE ENERGY-CRISIS: EFFECT OF REDUCING PUBLIC LIGHTING ON TRAFFIC SAFETY

The reduction of public lighting may result in an appreciable increase in road accidents, particularly in marginally lit busy streets with mixed traffic. This type of lighting reduction may be accepted as an emergency only, for instance during an energy-crisis. It may be that the separate effects will not be shown clearly in accident statistics, due to the fact that several measures are taken at the same moment. The use of low-beam headlamps offers no solution, not even in poorly lit streets. The application of other light sources, other road surfaces or other light distributions could be considered. Switching off earlier, or switching on later is not to be recommended.