Jan 30, 2025 10:05:01 AM
There are so many valuable benefits that accompany the addition of outdoor lighting. Whether you own a residential or a commercial property, you’ll find that landscape lighting can enhance the beauty, value, and functionality of your space.
And with that latter benefit, you’ll also find that there are numerous outdoor lighting safety benefits that you can anticipate. Proper landscape lighting can help prevent accidents on your property.
In this article we will talk about:
The role of proper lighting in accident prevention
Examples of common hazards eliminated by landscape lighting
Types of outdoor lighting best suited for safety purposes
Considering professional outdoor lighting services in Memphis
Unfortunately, accidents are a lot more common at nighttime, when it’s challenging to safely navigate a property. But by keeping landscape lighting safety in mind, you’ll be able to reduce those risks.
The types of accidents that occur most often on poorly lit properties involve trips and falls. When people cannot see where they are going, their risk of falling increases.
But accidents do not just occur on foot. Accidents can also occur when an individual is on a bike, scooter, or even in a car. If people cannot see where they are going (or see what or who is around them), serious accidents can happen on your property.
If you are a commercial property, you could have serious liability risks related to trip-and-fall accidents on a poorly lit property. Commercial properties are more likely to see a lot of foot traffic and trips-and-falls are a big deal.
But homeowners should be concerned about this, too. The last thing that you want is for a family member, friend, or visitor to your property to get hurt.
Outdoor lighting safety can play a huge role in reducing these risks by properly lighting your space. It’s important that people can always see where they are going and that there are no hidden “dark spots” that aren’t well-lit.
Any property that is not well-lit can pose risks for accidents but let’s talk about some common examples.
If you have any steps on your property, these areas can pose some of the biggest risks for falls, particularly if people do not know they are coming. Even one simple step off of a stoop or porch can be enough to cause someone to trip and fall if they don’t see it.
The same is true for any changes in elevation (such as slight hills) or an uneven sidewalk. It’s important that people can see where they’re stepping.
Dark driveways are another common hazard on both residential and commercial properties. It’s so important that people be able to see where they are going as they drive (or walk) the entire length of your driveway.
If a driveway turns or bends…or is adjacent to a retaining wall…it’s essential that the driver can see all of this so that they don’t run off of the driveway or run into something (or even worse, someone).
Landscape lighting can also help reduce trips and falls related to obstacles. Objects located near walking areas can cause people to trip if they don’t see what’s around them.
Sometimes these obstacles are not intended to be there. For instance, a branch might have fallen on a walkway or a driveway after a storm. If the property is well-lit, these obstacles should be spotted.
To ensure you are getting all of the outdoor lighting safety benefits, you’ll want to ensure that you are using the right type of lighting for every situation. Different areas around your property are going to be better-suited to different lighting applications.
For instance, there are a few ways that you can enhance step lighting. We like using downlighting to ensure that steps are well-illuminated but built-in lights can also be highly effective. We also like using rail lighting if you have a railing incorporated.
Downlighting is also very effective for driveway lighting to ensure that the space in front of the driver (or walker) is highly visible.
Ultimately, the goal is to make sure that anything which needs to be visible can be well-seen. How exactly this is achieved is going to differ from property to property. It’s always important that you’re getting a custom landscape lighting design that takes the specifics of your property into account.
Safety is one of the most important benefits of outdoor lighting. In order to ensure that you maximize this benefit, you’ll want to work with a professional outdoor lighting service in Memphis.
Ideally, you want to look for a company that employs a Certified Outdoor Lighting Designer. This is the highest level certification out there and means that you are getting a true professional. It also means that you’re going to get someone who creates a custom landscape lighting design for your specific property.
At Mid South Outdoor Lighting & Audio, we know that outdoor lighting is more than just something that “looks nice.” While there’s no doubt it will add tremendous aesthetic appeal, it also brings functional value by allowing you to get more use out of your space. Lighting is also going to help ensure that your property is safe and that accidents are prevented.
This is critically important when it comes to protecting your home or business from liability, but also protecting the people and the visitors that spend time on your property.
Are you ready to create a secure, functional, and beautiful property at any hour of the day? If so, let’s meet and discuss some bright ideas.
