Crime isn't the only reason we light the streets. In fact it's probably not the main reason. But as to crime, from what I understand it's controversial. I wo

Crime isn't the only reason we light the streets. In fact it's probably not the main reason. But as to crime, from what I understand it's controversial. I would note that, in nearly every place, the main time for home robbery is the late morning or afternoon. Because that's when everyone's at work or running errands and otherwise not home. Only serial killers and the truly insanely desperate break into homes with the residents asleep at 4 am. Does street lighting stop them? Jury seems out. Traffic safety. This seems pretty settled. If you don't want get run over by a car while walking in the suburbs at night, you want streetlighting. Simple utility. It's nice to see where you're going. I live in a heavily forested area. On a cloudy night around the new Moon I literally wouldn't be able to see the sidewalk without some artificial lighting.