I don't think people regularly intentionally fly past last light with pax, but inexperience probably causes it to happen every now and then.
Without a night rating, a simple error in calculations could end in disaster as you are not trained in calculating LSALT, navigating, approach and landing, use of rwy lights etc.
A night rating used to be required for the issue of a CPL.
Maybe said operators have learned from problems in the past.