Street lamps have a long history, from ancient times to modern automated electric lights. They illuminate the side of the road, alerting drivers to potential dangers and making areas safer at night. Some designs aim to reduce light pollution, and solar-powered options are available. Reporting outages to the city or electric company is appreciated.
A street lamp is a light installed at the edge of a roadway to illuminate the side of the road. The history of street and road lighting is ancient, with evidence that many communities in the ancient world encouraged citizens to keep their exterior lights on during the course of the evening for navigation and safety. The first formal streetlights used as a municipal service were gas streetlights, which were hand-lit by a group of people each evening. Eventually, gas lighting was replaced with electric lighting, and street lights today are usually fully automated.
The purpose of a street light is not to light the roadway; at night, drivers should use their headlights, which will light the way for them. Street lights illuminate the side of the road, alerting drivers to potential dangers and situations they need to be aware of. They can also be used to signal the presence of an intersection, so that a driver can be prepared for cross traffic or prepare to turn onto a side street.
The street lights are also a safety feature. Well-lit areas tend to be less dangerous after dark because it is more difficult to commit a crime when the scene is fully lit. Streetlights that keep parking lots and streets lit at night make it safer for citizens to go out after dark. They can also be useful for navigation for people walking, allowing people to see the sidewalk and surrounding area clearly.
Street lamps are sometimes criticized as a source of light pollution. A number of manufacturers have responded to this with designs that are intended to reduce light loss. The poles that street lamp posts are mounted on can also pose a hazard, as people can hit them in cars, and the poles can also fall in thunderstorms or in freak accidents from metal fatigue. A lamppost can also develop electrical problems causing the entire pole to become electrified, although this is rare.
Many street lights today work with the use of solar sensors that activate the light when it gets dark. Some are also solar powered, allowing them to run on self-contained poles without the need for a power source. Some cities may use street light timers, mostly in the case of older systems that haven’t been updated.
Municipal authorities usually appreciate being notified of street lighting outages. If someone notices that a street light is out, they can call the city department or the electric company to report the outage.
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