"However, if the CAA/FAA was really determined to enforce this principle to enhance the safety of the passengers why then does it allow you to continue to read by means of your own nice bright individual reading light???????? Spoiling your own night vision and that of the poor bugger sat next to you???"
Only those few of us who can read, or insist on reading during landing, and yes maybe our less literate seatmates, will be vision-impaired if difficulties ensue. Perhaps we readers are in a diminishing and less-regarded minority.
Overall I think the number of survivors of a desperate situation as posited will be about the same cabin lights on or off, and mostly there is no way to analyze/statistacalize that anyway, so WTH sez I. Leave my reading light on at least, thanks.