Is the problem with LEDs or is it the drivers?
December 21, 2009 by Tom GuayPosted in: Cost Cutting, In this week's e-newsletter, Latest News & Views, News, Technology
All the economics clearly indicate there are huge savings gained by installing energy-efficient lighting systems. How can you argue with money saved?
After all, the standard lights of old wasted about 90% of the energy producing heat, not light. The new lights generate more light than heat, so they’re better, right?
But the lack of heat generation by LED lights (light-emitting diodes) creates traffic problems during certain snow and icy storms.
Problem: Traffic lights with LED bulbs are super efficient, but they can’t generate enough heat to melt ice and snow, so motorists can’t tell whether they’re facing a red, green or yellow signal.
Result: Dozens of traffic accidents and at least one fatality have been blamed on snow-covered traffic lights, according to a report by the Associated Press. The death occurred when a driver ran a red light that he couldn’t see and plowed into a car in the intersection that had a visible green light, killing the driver who had a green light.
Police note that traffic laws require drivers to treat broken or obstructed traffic lights as stop signs.
Despite the accidents, there’s no thought of going back to the old lights. Wisconsin’s Department of Transportation told AP that the state saves about $750,000 a year in energy costs alone now that it has switched to LED lights.
Plus, there’s less maintenance. LEDs installed seven years ago are still working whereas incandescent bulbs had to be replaced every 12 to 18 months.
The LED lights are only blocked in certain snowy conditions, when this happens, maintenance crews use compressed air to clear the lights.
So, is the problem with LEDs? Are they a green menace or is it the drivers? Share your thoughts.
Tags: energy savings, LED lights
GreenandMore.com
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December 28th, 2009 at 11:00 am
While it could be a combination of both, I tend to believe it’s the drivers’ lack of assertiveness & care. Common sense would allow you to realize that if vehicles are crossing an intersection from the adjacent directions, you would have the stop. Even if unclear, as the article stated, one should always take caution and treat the intersection as a four- way stop, or at least proceed with caution and see their way clear, as with any intersection. It’s about time drivers take responsibility & use their brains to make better decisions in order to remain safe and not try to pass the buck to someone else.
December 28th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Reading this story left me with mixed emontions.Green yes but quoting the savings against a life seems colder than the weather that caused the issue.
December 30th, 2009 at 10:24 am
Looks like a golden opportunity to create after-market add-ons to keep those lights warm enough to keep ice and snow off. So why not jump on it and invent an LED traffic light de-icer?
December 31st, 2009 at 5:14 pm
Makes one wonder if the cost savings by the LEDs was equal to or greater than the cost of city workers specializing equipment and spending man hours and fuel to inspect and respond to trafic lights with snow on them. Adding the cost of a traffic light de icer… would that effect the energy saving? Personally, I prefer the LED lights. Here in Florida they work real well. Never get snow covered. What is a good idea here, seems to be not so good in snow country. Maybe one size does not fit all.
January 4th, 2010 at 7:33 am
I agree with John. The States with the issue need a compromise. One type winter one summer. Both should last longer and if it’s a mild winter the state will benefit in cost in other ways not lifes.
January 4th, 2010 at 9:45 am
I like Huckelberry’s comment, but how would they switch between different lights from one season to another? How many man-hours would be involved to go around to all the lights and switch them over twice a year? Install both types and have a weather sensor with automatic switch-over when temperatures drop below a certain point? John Barry is right, one size does not fit all. My conclusion about the new LED lights – good idea but a bit premature to put them into use without thinking the issue through thoroughly. And of course, no technology in the world can completely eliminate the need for defensive driving. We modern-day Americans are too prone to expect someone else to pick up the responsibility for events which could have been avoided with a bit more common sense and caution.
January 4th, 2010 at 2:51 pm
Dorothy why not use community service workers?
January 7th, 2010 at 11:00 am
Like the police said an obstucted light is a stop sign. News stations spend lots of time telling people about things that should probably not even be on the air. Why can’t they help to get the word out to the public that they need to stop and look both ways. Its like everything else no one wants to be inconvienenced no matter the cost. Want inconvienece, one community near were I live there is no turn on red and almost every intersection in the community has a 4-way stop sign.
January 7th, 2010 at 11:03 am
Adding heaters eliminates most of the green savings so that is not the answer. Brains are the answer and people need to use them. We cannot continue to rape the planet just so someone doesn’t have to stop at an intersection.
January 7th, 2010 at 12:59 pm
Drivers have to take responsibility, no doubt. However, if unfimiliar with the area any driver might not be aware enough if there are other distractions. I know my common paths and where and when to expect signs or lights. I also watch for them when on unfamiliar ground. The out of towner might not know the signal is present in a snow event. World wide, unlit traffic lights, for any reason are deadly situations. Safe rather than sorry should be considerd. If an employer had this problem you can bet they would be 100% legally responsible regardless of indvidual responsibility. Especially now that everyone knows there is a danger. No win situation.
January 7th, 2010 at 2:03 pm
People run red “standard” ligts also, and there is no way to protect everybody from everything. No-one was killed by cars before there were cars, yet no one is suggesting going back to walking and/or riding horses. It irks me to see every new energy saving device attacked in one manner or another by persons who want the old wasteful ways to continue for no other reason than they are afraid of change. I live in northern Wisconsin and have never seen an ice or snow covered traffic control light. I have seen plenty of snow covered roadsigns, thats why stop signs are octogon, and yeild signs are a triangle shape. We know whats behind the snow. We also should recognize traffic control lights, on or off. Its not that big of an issue, other than to those injured or killed, but why, I must ask, was a car going at a deadly speed in a snowstorm, or shortly thereafter? Driving is Always risky. Stay off the road if you do not want to chance an accident.
January 8th, 2010 at 6:42 am
Greg maybe we need to change the shape of each light green round red square yellow oval? Old ways over engery saving then we should go back to horses.Fule cheaper no speeding and the by product use in gardens.We put people on the moon and can’t find a answer for this issue. I refuse to put a $ sign on a life so I guess in your eyes I live in the past. I think I will stay there its a better fit for me.
January 8th, 2010 at 9:10 am
I disagree about the cost of a heating element in snow country traffic lights. Consider the cost of sending a maintenance crew to change the bulbs: hourly wages, plus gas, plus a police escort to direct traffic around the maintenance crew. According to the article, LED’s last at least 7 times as long. A heating device could be paid for with the savings of just one bulb change. And since it would only operate when the temperature falls below a certain point, the increased cost of electricity would not offset the annual savings of the LED.
January 8th, 2010 at 11:53 am
Lens heaters have been available on automobiles, and instrument housings for years, they are thermostatically controlled, and would not use enought energy to offset the energy savings of the led lights.
January 9th, 2010 at 5:47 pm
if cold weather conditions comprimize the lighting in stall heaters on the lites to turn on at 36 degrees. this would still give a savings, rather than going back to the incandesents.