To illuminate or not to illuminate: Roadway lighting as it affects traffic safety at intersections

Bullough, John D.; Donnell, Eric T.; Rea, Mark S.

doi:10.1016/j.aap.2012.12.029

Cited by 114 publications

(82 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Some studies (e.g., [13]) found that drivers are less likely to be injured in a construction work zone under darkness (with good illumination) than under daylight conditions. Moreover, researchers found that crash prediction models can reveal detailed information about contributing factors [14][15][16]. For example, Ullman et al [17] found that some contributing factors are significant in a daytime crash rate model (e.g., low speed limit and the number of entering ramps per lane per mile), while others become significant in a nighttime model (e.g., snow and percentage of trucks).…”

Section: Effects Of Light Condition On Crashesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analyzing Traffic Crash Severity in Work Zones under Different Light Conditions

Wei

Shu

Huang

et al. 2017

Journal of Advanced Transportation

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Previous studies have investigated various factors that contribute to the severity of work zone crashes. However, little has been done on the specific effects of light conditions. Using the data from the Enhanced Tennessee Roadway Information Management System (E-TRIMS), crashes that occurred in the Tennessee work zones during 2003-2015 are categorized into three light conditions: daylight, dark-lighted, and dark-not-lighted. One commonly used decision tree method-Classification and Regression Trees (CART)-is adopted to investigate the factors contributing to crash severity in highway work zones under these light conditions. The outcomes from the three decision trees with differing light conditions show significant differences in the ranking and importance of the factors considered in the study, thereby indicating the necessity of examining traffic crashes according to light conditions. By separately considering the crash characteristics under different light conditions, some new findings are obtained from this study. The study shows that an increase in the number of lanes increases the crash severity level in work zones during the day while decreasing the severity at night. Similarly, drugs and alcohol are found to increase the severity level significantly under the dark-not-lighted condition, while they have a limited influence under daylight and dark-lighted conditions.

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Section: Effects Of Light Condition On Crashesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analyzing Traffic Crash Severity in Work Zones under Different Light Conditions

Wei

Shu

Huang

et al. 2017

Journal of Advanced Transportation

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“…This new advice has been used by local authorities to support trials of reducing street lighting as a means of making energy efficiency savings without compromising public safety. A recent study combining visual coverage area analysis with statistical association between lighting and nighttime crashes has demonstrated that improvements in traffic safety changes in night to day crash ratios did not exceed 13% (Bullough et al 2013).…”

Section: Vehicle Accidentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Benefits and costs of artificial nighttime lighting of the environment

Gaston

Bennie

2015

Environ. Rev.

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Artificial lighting has transformed the outdoor nighttime environment over large areas, modifying natural cycles of light in terms of timing, wavelength, and distribution. This has had widespread benefits and costs to humankind, impacting on health and wellbeing, vehicle accidents, crime, energy consumption and carbon emissions, aesthetics, and wildlife and ecosystems. Here, we review these effects, particularly in the context of ongoing developments in the extent of artificial lighting and in the prevalent technologies being employed. The key issue that emerges is how best to maximize the benefits of artificial nighttime lighting whilst limiting the costs. To do so, three main strategies are required. First, important knowledge gaps need to be filled. Second, there is an urgent need to connect the research being conducted in different disciplines, which to date has been very disjointed. Third, it is imperative that much firmer and well-developed links are made between research, policy, and practice.Key words: accidents, aesthetics, crime, ecosystems, health, light pollution, lighting, night, sky glow, wellbeing.Résumé : L'éclairage artificiel a transformé l'environnement nocturne extérieur sur de grandes superficies, modifiant les cycles naturels de la lumière en terme de temps, de longueurs d'ondes et de distribution. Ceci s'est traduit par des coûts et bénéfices largement étendus pour l'humanité, affectant la santé et le bien-être, les accidents d'automobile, le crime, la consommation d'énergie et les émissions de carbones, l'esthétique ainsi que la faune et les écosystèmes. Les auteurs passent en revue ces effets, particulièrement dans le contexte de développement continu dans l'extension de l'éclairage artificiel et dans les technologies dominantes mises en oeuvre. La problématique clé qui en émerge consiste à savoir comment maximiser le mieux possible les bénéfices de l'éclairage nocturne artificiel tout en limitant les coûts. Pour atteindre cet objectif, trois stratégies principales s'imposent. Il faut d'abord combler des déficiences de connaissances. Deuxièmement, il existe un urgent besoin d'intégrer les travaux de recherche conduits dans diverses disciplines, lesquels ont été conduits de façon disparate jusqu'ici. Et troisièmement, il est impératif que des liens beaucoup plus solides et mieux développés se développent entre la recherche, les politiques et la pratique. [Traduit par la Redaction]

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“…One study used night/day crash ratios to investigate effects of lighting on crash frequency for a specific part of the road -intersections. 111 They examined 22,058 accidents at 6464 intersections in one US state (Minnesota) over a 4-year period (1999)(2000)(2001)(2002). Lit intersections were associated with a 12% lower night/day crash ratio than unlit intersections.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Road lighting research for drivers and pedestrians: The basis of luminance and illuminance recommendations

Fotios

Gibbons

2018

Lighting Research & Technology

116

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This article discusses quantitative recommendations for road lighting as given in guidelines and standards, primarily, the amount of light. The discussion is framed according to the type of road user, the driver and the pedestrian, these being the user groups associated with major and minor roads, respectively. Presented first is a brief history of road lighting standards, from early to current versions, and, where known, the basis of these standards. Recommendations for the amount of light do not appear to be well-founded in robust empirical evidence, or at least do not tend to reveal the nature of any evidence. This suggests a need to reconsider recommended light levels, a need reinforced by recent developments in the science and technology of lighting and of lighting research. To enable improved recommendations, there is a need for further evidence of the effects of changes in lighting: This article therefore discusses the findings of investigations, which might be considered when developing new standards.

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To illuminate or not to illuminate: Roadway lighting as it affects traffic safety at intersections

Cited by 114 publications

References 31 publications

Analyzing Traffic Crash Severity in Work Zones under Different Light Conditions

Analyzing Traffic Crash Severity in Work Zones under Different Light Conditions

Benefits and costs of artificial nighttime lighting of the environment

Road lighting research for drivers and pedestrians: The basis of luminance and illuminance recommendations

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