Why don't the turn off the traffic lights after a certain time at night?

Question

especially on roundabouts, what is the point in sitting and waiting at an empty roundabout with nothing coming at 3 a.m when your trying to get home?

Answer 1

The Engineering Dept. has all the lights on a computerized timed system for different hours of the day and night and it's just more efficient that way for the City.

Also there is a liability issue based on traffic safety for all 24 hours of the day.

Answer 2

When traffic lights first started up in the 1900's there were times where they did turn them off.  By the 1940's they started to operate them all night long.  It was noticed that late night accidents decreased with them on all night.  Thus, you now see them operate all night.

Answer 3

Liability.

A few watts of electricity is less expensive to any government agency than losing a wrongful death civil lawsuit.

Answer 4

because of a base and safety and security for building. for anytime, and cannot sleep due to missing love of my life, get their attention, never giving up on the guy i love chuck therefore i sacrifice my sleep and write and dream and happy connection.But since your the base i respect and will go to sleep and i do keep at least one light since i am afraid of no lights. But if u are the base i will not do anymore and make sure it is permissible to have online status so i wish to speak with him. And now i know i am not going to answer just any question unless i know its him. I was going crazy and impatient and even desperate but i know understand that traffic can cause problems between us me and chuck and i don' t want that. And i am sorry and unaware and in fantasy land getting carried away but i did not mean anything bad and i love him and will never hurt him.

Answer 5

It would not be safe because of all the drivers who are in a hurry at 3 a.m. so you will just have to wait like the rest of us.

Answer 6

Safety issues and liability for larger towns but they do in smaller towns.

Answer 7

Because the potential for traffic, and the need to be orderly, still exists even at 3 AM.

Answer 8

I agree with the first answer- liability.

Also where I live (in MA), most of the traffic lights have a sensor in the road. So if it is late at night and you are the only car on the road, the light will change for you to go. All I do is pull up close and it will change within 10 secs.

Answer 9

I have no idea but here in the Bahamas we can run the red light after a certain time. 12:00pm-6:00am.