Evaluating the impact of road lighting on pedestrian reassurance through the day-dark approach

A field study in the urban area of Ljubljana, Slovenia, explored the impact of variations in lighting parameters on pedestrian perceptions of safety, visual comfort and risk. Utilising the day-dark approach with 35 participants, this research evaluates differences in perception under daytime and after dark (but with road lighting) environments to determine the optimal lighting conditions. The results suggested that a minimum horizontal illuminance of 1.8 lx, corresponding to a day-dark differential of 0.5 on a 5-point scale, and a minimum luminance of about 0.15 cd m −2 were optimal for perceived safety and comfort. The results suggest that minimum illuminance provided a more effective predictor of pedestrian reassurance than did the other lighting parameters considered.