Solar public lighting company Leadsun is calling on councils to improve street lighting to help reduce the number of collisions on Australian roads, particularly in crash black spots.
Leadsun’s appeal follows the publication of an Australian Associated Motor Insurers (AAMI) report, which revealed the most dangerous roads in the country. AAMI's latest report analysed over 350,000 accident claims in the year ended June 30 and found that Melbourne had eight of the 10 worst car crash black spots in the country. Plenty Road in Bundoora had the worst black spot in Australia for the third consecutive year, while Springvale Road in Glen Waverley and Springvale took up the second spot.
A study from IATSS Research revealed that implementing or improving street lighting could reduce road crashes by 35%.
Leadsun is urging councils to improve lighting at black spots to save lives – adding that it already completed road safety projects in cities and towns across New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Queensland, and Victoria in response to community pressure to fix known problem areas.
The Mareeba Shire Council installed 10 solar streetlights around the Kuranda town centre, including at a busy pedestrian crossing to improve safety, at a roundabout intersection to increase visibility and at its very popular visitor centre.
Leadsun founder Matt Pollard said the company's solar-powered off-the-grid lighting helped the Mareeba Shire Council to save lighting costs.
“Estimations of the Mareeba project show that the council saved 33% on its lighting costs by installing solar lights and of course, once installed, there are zero carbon emissions and no electricity running costs,” Pollard said.
Meanwhile, The Goulburn-Mulwaree Council in New South Wales installed eight solar lights along Middle Arm Road as part of its Council Safe Road Program.
“Solar lighting along a 1,000-metre length of the road is $50,000 less expensive than traditional grid-powered networks, so it makes economic sense for councils and ratepayers as well,” Pollard said.
