The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) gave final approval of a five-year extension for Truck-Lite's auxiliary brake-activated pulsating lamps for installation on the rear of commercial motor vehicles.
FMCSA referred to comments responding to Truck-Lite's application in approving the waiver. Some of the commenters noted brake-activated pulsating lamps improve conspicuity and raise driver awareness, reducing the likelihood of collisions.
"Truck-Lite brake-activated pulsating lamps give us an opportunity to get the attention of distracted drivers coming up behind us who are not looking at the overall picture," says Dean Newell, vice president of safety and driver training at Maverick USA.
[RELATED: Truck-Lite earns standard position on trailer]
Truck-Lite, part of Clarience Technologies, says its lights function as a Class II amber strobe that pulsates for up to four seconds with each application of the brake, then transitions to solid red for the duration.
"This FMCSA exemption marks a critical step forward, allowing fleets to deploy this technology in a fully compliant way while realizing measurable safety benefits," says Craig Watrous, vice president of technology and compliance at Truck-Lite. "Enhanced brake signal visibility improves driver reaction times and helps prevent rear-end collisions on our roadways."
The exemption is good through June 3, 2031.
