English: Broken lamppost / streetlight on A899 Livingston Road Oops. Perhaps they're not 'frangible' as I had first suggested back in June of this year (See https://www.geograph.org.uk/discuss/index.php?&action=vthread&forum=5&topic=7751&page=0#3 ), as they seem still to stand up after they're whacked.

(Maybe it's just me but I feel that there has been an alarming increase in injury and death due to lamp post collisions in recent years. Maybe it's just that this road has had more than its fair share and that's why it has my attention.)

The A899 in Livingston (Dual carriageway) has had its speed reduced to 50mph after a spate of them. The Council have recently replaced the lamp standards on the road and I wonder that they might be of the new generation of passive safety columns which are designed to be a bit more crash friendly.

And 30mph speed limits when there are temporary roadworks https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/80088

There are a number of products available on the market which are intended to make our travelling safer. http://www.thepassiverevolution.co.uk/products.html

One of the types of products I do think we'll be seeing a lot more of is the frangible post type http://solutions.3m.co.uk/wps/portal/3M/en_GB/Traffic-Safety-Systems/Traffic-Safety-Systems/News-Events/Product-News/?PC_7_RJH9U5230GE3E02LECIE208T41_assetId=1180584271635 which I believe could make a major contribution to road safety. This type simply disintegrates on impact. If the link doesn't work then click on Frangible Post System on this page http://solutions.3m.co.uk/wps/portal/3M/en_GB/Traffic-Safety-Systems/Traffic-Safety-Systems/News-Events/Product-News/

These are making their debut http://solutions.3m.co.uk/wps/portal/3M/en_GB/Traffic-Safety-Systems/Traffic-Safety-Systems/Safety-Solutions/Road-Authorities/Passive-Safety/M54 on the M6 and M54.

DESIGN MANUAL FOR ROADS AND BRIDGES PART 2 TA 89/05 USE OF PASSIVELY SAFE SIGNPOSTS, LIGHTING COLUMNS AND TRAFFIC SIGNAL POSTS TO BS EN 12767

In reality there are a lot more folk hitting trees and they can't be redesigned quite so easily. The Facts: http://www.thepassiverevolution.co.uk/factsfigures.html Do take care.

Other Reference site: http://www.brake.org.uk/

Damaged lighting and faults can be reported to the Council http://www.westlothian.gov.uk/1523/1284/1302/1309

Oops, there goes another one: https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/990599 Both fixed and repaired by Wed 15th Oct 2008.

Keywords / tags : Lampost / lamppost / lamp post / lamp standard / highway lighting / frangible / safety / crash / road safety / car / dual carriageway / snap / break / easily.