Driver's reminded to take precautions at night as more street lights switch off

Switching off of street lights can lead to seriously compromised road safety. That is the subject of an interesting article I've read, provided by a recent Ring Automotive (supplier of vehicle lights and bulbs in the UK) press release. With more Councils now making the controversial cost cutting decision to turn off or greatly reduce the number of hours street lights remain on, with some turning the lights off between the hours of midnight and 5am, the article believes that in doing so some drivers may struggle to see objects, hazards and other road users clearly. Ring Automotive say that out of 27 councils, 21 have now switched off some street lights after midnight or turned them off altogether. It goes on to quote information taken from Autoglass (vehicle glass repair and replacement company) regarding the dangers of reduced street lighting in their report titled "Blackout Britain - Motorists face dangerous threat as the lights go out". The Autoglass report, conducted by road safety expert Nick Gkikas, says that 78% of motorists think switching street lights off is dangerous. It then went on to highlight the risk associated to pedestrians and cyclists. With 40% of pedestrians and 64% of cyclists out during the hours of darkness there is a higher involvement of incidents with pedestrians and cyclists than during the day. As both a cyclist and a driver, I have noticed how dark it can get on and around my own streets and have contemplated the dangers, especially in the darker months in autumn and winter. The Ring Automotive article may also be a clever way of selling more light bulbs by pointing out that a good way to improve visibility on the road is through upgrading your headlight bulbs, as they advertise their XenonUltima - "the world’s first bulb to produce 120% more light on the road compared to a standard bulb." However, I did find the article informative and a good reminder for everyone to take care when driving, cycling, or walking at night or in poorly lit conditions. Please take a moment to read the Autoglass report, highlighted above. The video on the web page is thought provoking and definitely worth a view. And if you are in the market for new headlights to increase your vehicles visibility and safety, you can visit Ring Automotives website by clicking here.