A Legal Question Regarding Proposed Turn off of street Lighting?

No they could not as the council have no legal obligation to light the streets. There are more miles of roads and streets without lights than there are with them. There are still some small villages and hamlets without street lighting.

(Councils don't deal with motorway lighting)

The reason for most of the things people don't like about roads ("roadworks take too long", "speed limits are too low", "matrix boards are stating the obvious") is to reduce the risk of being sued. Councils are well aware of the risk and (understandably) will not do anything which is likely to result in a court case, particularly with matters of life and death, which road safety is.

That's why the light-off is happening so slowly (and most councils are still increasing the amount of lighting).

It's also an awful reflection of the world we live in where such a thing is even considered. Does no-one take responsibility these days?

Oh my goodness. Could they sue. Sure this is America we sue for everything because nothing is ever our own fault. So what you're saying is that the street light was driving the car. I sorry and I don't mean to be so sarcastic but I really get tired of everyone always pointing blame off of themselves rather than taking personal responsibility for their actions. Cars have lights, low beams and hi beams for just this purpose. Lighting on streets is nice but it is a cost savings to tax payers to turn them off sometimes. And with all the budget cuts that are currently being made due to the drop in tax revenues and goodness knows we can't raise taxes to pay for the things we want. The money has to come from some where. So lights get turned off. Suing over something like this is ridiculous. If you can't drive in the dark then don't drive at night. If you have an emergency call a cab, the police or the fire department. If you get behind the wheel you are expected to be able to handle the vehicle you are piloting. Otherwise you should not be in the drivers seat.

As you will be aware in the UK we fit lights to cars, these have two main functions,

1 To make us visible to others in poor conditions,

2 To illuminate the way forward when the ambient light falls below a level in which you can effectively see.

The issue of street lighting being turned off falls into the second function, turn on the lights and hey! you can see where to go.

It is the responsibility of the driver to ensure they can see adequately to safely drive the car, this not only refers to the drivers personal vision and need for spectacles, but also it points to a need to turn on the lights when it gets dark.

I don't think a case under the HSE act will be taken seriously by the courts.

It is a legal requirement for all road vehicles to have shiny things on the front and rear of the vehicles called lights. Marvellous inventions they just light up the bit of road you're using so the are quite economical as well.

First rule of Health & Safety is that you are responsible for your own safety as well as that of those around you, if you don't have working lights on your vehicle then it's your fault and nobody else's.

You are also suppose to drive at a speed relevant to the prevailing conditions so if you can't see where you're going; slow down a bit.

You do realise that cars have devices on the front called headlights that illuminate the way?

It would never be proven that an accident was because of a blackout as it's the drivers responsibility to drive to the conditions.

Everyone is quick to try to blame someone else when they make a mistake instead of admitting they were driving above their abilities.

No. I live in a rural area where lighting is sparse without affecting accident levels. personally i have never understood why they lit big stretches of motorway in the first place. If you cannot see the road well with modern headlights then it is time to turn in your licence.

in case you fairly think of it incredibly is occurring, start up documenting the specifics of your interactions with the line lighting fixtures. save a log of the date, time and each and each easy which you bypass via, and the consequence that your passing has on each and each easy. it incredibly is the commencing up of what's prevalent because of the fact the 'medical approach' the place you learn reason and result and create archives that helps you to create an impartial diagnosis of the lighting fixtures switching on and stale. word that some cities have classes to right now swap streetlights on and stale to shelter ability. this would be one clarification. yet you will verify. rfile it and practice it. in case you may rfile evidence of your result on the streetlights, usher in an impartial observer to validate your declare.

NO.

There are countless roads in the UK which have no street lighting.

It is NOT necessary to have lighting on roads or motorways.

I would say yes because in the US people have sued cities and states when traffic lights have gone out, while they are being repaired or if they accidental were turned off which lead to an accident or even a death..