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AA predicts “blackout backlash” from motorists, as councils switch off road lights at night (8 December 2014)

Date: 08/12/2014
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, AA predicts “blackout backlash” from motorists, as councils switch off road lights at night

A new report by the Automobile Association (AA) has revealed that the rate of road traffic accidents increases on roads which are unlit or poorly lit.

The Daily Mail reports that lives are being put at risk, with the rate of road traffic accidents increasing by 7% on unlit streets.

On urban roads with street lighting, the accident rate has fallen by around 20% overall. However, where street lights are turned off or reduced, the reduction in the accident rate is around 12%.

Local councils are increasingly turning off street lights or reducing them to save money and to comply with green policies – including “blackouts” on some roads in the early hours of the morning.

The practice is, however endangering the lives of motorists, van drivers, cyclists and pedestrians, the AA says. The increasing danger for road users on unlit roads is a particular menace on unlit or poorly lit roads with a 40mph speed limit during bad weather.

The AA is predicting a backlash against blackouts on Britain’s roads at the next general election, with voters staging protest votes against councils, regardless of political persuasion.

The AA’s report says government figures show that, over the last five years, general improvements in road safety have seen accidents on built-up roads where there is street lighting during hours of darkness fall by nearly one-fifth (18.6%) overall.

In poor weather conditions – including rain, snow and ice – there has been a fall in road accidents of around one-quarter (24%).

On roads where the street lights had been switched off or cut back, the figures were 12% and 16.7%, however.

On roads with higher speed limits, the risk of accidents if lighting is switched off or reduced becomes worse, says the AA.

Since 2008, accidents on 40mph streets which were lit fell by 24.1% – and by 30.4% in rain, snow or ice.

However, on roads where street lights had been turned off or not installed, accidents fell by only 10.4%, regardless of weather conditions.

Since 2009, there have also been six deaths in road traffic accidents which coroners have attributed “partly or wholly” to councils switching off street lights.

The AA report states:

“Discontent with the street light switch-off has provided a rallying point for local political opposition, petitions, and e-petitions – such as the government’ s website and the Right to Light campaign in Kent.

“Evidence is growing of a potential political backlash – particularly to the north and east of London.

“Accident rates on unlit town and city roads continue to get worse – this winter, however, discontent with street-light blackouts threatens a backlash in next year’s elections.”

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