USA Banner
  U.S. flag
              An official website of the United States government Here's how you knowOfficial US Government Icon
              **Official websites use .gov**A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
            Secure Site Icon
              **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
                  A **lock** ( A locked padlock ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. 
 U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation
 Search DOT
            Search
                    About FHWAFHWA Organization
                Headquarters Offices
                Field Offices
                Strategic Plan
                Business Opportunities
                Staff Directories
                Careers
                Highway History
                Contact UsProgramsAcquisition Management
                Civil Rights
                Federal Lands Highway
                Infrastructure
                Innovative Program Delivery
                Operations
                Planning, Environment, and Realty
                Policy
                Research, Development, and Technology
                Safety
                Browse by TopicsResourcesCore Highway Topics
                Federal Aid Essentials
                Automation
                Complete Streets
                Laws and Regulations
                Policy & Guidance Center
                Section 508
                Publications and Statistics
                Professional Development
                National Highway Institute
                Resource Center
                Accessibility Resource Library
                FHWA Research LibraryNewsroomPress Releases
                Speeches & Testimony
                Photos
                Videos
                Media ContactsMenu FHWA Highway Safety Programs Home
                        Safety
                        Proven Safety Countermeasures


            
            In This Section
        Proven Safety Countermeasures
                Search Safety Proven Countermeasures
                Resources
      
   Related Links
          For More Info Visit the Office of Safety's Roadway Lighting Resources webpage
                                                        Watch "Lighting - A Florida Case Study on a Proven Safety Countermeasure"
                                                        View the Roadway Lighting Handbook

              Lighting
U.S. Department of Transportation logoU.S. Department of Transportation
    Federal Highway Administration
    FHWA-SA-21-050

          PDFLighting_508.pdf (PDF, 319.74 KB)


        The number of fatal crashes occurring in daylight is about the same as those that occur in darkness. However, the nighttime fatality rate is three times the daytime rate because only 25 percent of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) occur at night. At nighttime, vehicles traveling at higher speeds may not have the ability to stop once a hazard or change in the road ahead becomes visible by the headlights. Therefore, lighting can be applied continuously along segments and at spot locations such as intersections and pedestrian crossings in order to reduce the chances of a crash.

Adequate lighting (i.e., at or above minimum acceptable standards) is based on research recommending horizontal and vertical illuminance levels to provide safety benefits to all users of the roadway environment. Adequate lighting can also provide benefits in terms of personal security for pedestrians, wheelchair and other mobility device users, bicyclists, and transit users as they travel along and across roadways.
"Illustration: This illustration shows a four-way intersection. Each approach leg features a high visibility crosswalk, a stop bar, and a street light to the right of the stop bar, illuminating the street below. Each approach leg is two lanes and is marked with a solid double yellow centerline. The WB approach features a cyclist stopped at the stop bar. The SB approach features a cyclist approaching the stop bar and a car departing the intersection northward. The EB approach features a car stopped at the stop bar. The NB approach features a car approaching the stop bar."**Source:**FHWA

Applications

**Roadway Segments**

Research indicates that continuous lighting on both rural and urban highways (including freeways) has an established safety benefit for motorized vehicles.1 Agencies can provide adequate visibility of the roadway and its users through the uniform application of lighting that provides full coverage along the roadway and the strategic placement of lighting where it is needed the most.

**Intersections and Pedestrian Crossings**

Increased visibility at intersections at nighttime is important since various modes of travel cross paths at these locations. Agencies should consider providing lighting to intersections based on factors such as a history of crashes at nighttime, traffic volume, the volume of non-motorized users, the presence of crosswalks and raised medians, and the presence of transit stops and boarding volumes.

Considerations

Most new lighting installations are made with breakaway features, shielded, or placed far enough from the roadway to reduce the probability and/or severity of fixed-object crashes. Modern lighting technology gives precise control with minimal excessive light affecting the nighttime sky or spilling over to adjacent properties. Agencies can equitably engage with underserved communities to determine where and how new and improved lighting can most benefit the community by considering their priorities, including eliminating crash disparities, connecting to essential neighborhood services, improving active transportation routes, and promoting personal safety.

        Sources
        1. (CMF ID: 436, 433, 192) Elvik, R. and Vaa, T., ”Handbook of Road Safety Measures.“ Oxford, United Kingdom, Elsevier, (2004).

2. (CMF ID: 2376) Ye et al. A Simultaneous Equations Model of Crash Frequency By Collision Type for Rural Intersections, 87th Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, (2008).
    
    Safety Benefit IconSafety Benefits:
              
Lighting can reduce crashes up to:
          42%
      
            for nighttime injury pedestrian crashes at intersections.1
          33-38%
      
            for nighttime crashes at rural and urban intersections.2,1
          28%
      
            for nighttime injury crashes on rural and urban highways.1


This nighttime photograph shows a series of seven streetlights illuminating a section of a multilane highway.Source: WSDOT U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

**Federal Highway Administration**

1200 NEW JERSEY AVENUE, SE

WASHINGTON, DC 20590

202-366-4000Subscribe to email updates
                    About
  

        
              About FHWA
                Careers
                Org Chart
                Staff Directories
                Work with UsPrograms
  

        
              Acquisition Management
                Civil Rights
                Federal Lands Highway
                Infrastructure
                Innovative Program Delivery
                Operations
                Planning, Environment, and Realty
                Policy
                Research, Development, and Technology
                SafetyPolicies, Rights, Legal
  

        
              About DOT
                Accessibility
                Budget and Performance
                Civil Rights
                FOIA
                Information Quality
                No FEAR Act
                Office of Inspector General
                Privacy Policy
                USA.gov
                Web Policies and Notices
                Web StandardsNews & Events
  

        
              Newsroom
                Press Releases
                Speeches & Testimony
                Media Contacts
                Connect with Us