switching on lights in the tunnel

one traffic advice that goes almost unheeded by most motorists is 'switch on your lights' when driving through the tunnel, especially long ones like the kpe and cte. it is not that people do not see the notice or they do not understand the instruction. it seems that they have total faith in the system, the electrical system. also, they have not heard or do not remember murphy's law about "anything that can go wrong will go wrong."


up to now, nothing has gone wrong but one of these days, it may just happen. can you imagine what will happen if there is a total blackout in the tunnel? the short window period before any emergency lights come on, you will be in total darkness, unless you are near the entrance or the exit.


you will be so completely disoriented that you cannot feel or find the switch to turn on the lights. by the time you turn it on, it may be too late. somebody's vehicle may have crashed into yours or you may have hit something in front of you. if traffic is heavy and everyone has been going fast, a chain accident or multiple crashes are not unlikely.


if you drive through the tunnel at any time during the day, you will find less than 10% of the vehicles, not counting the motor cycles, with their headlights switched on. the people who do not switch on their headlights may be trying to prolong the battery's life at the risk of their own lives.