To show what’s minimally required by FMVSS #108 for Brake/Turn and “Running Lights”*, we compare in our Sketches the application of any of our 7 Function Lights along with the use of our #203, #327 and #205 (WingtipÒ) Series “Running Light”* products to example their best, most economical usage … while meeting Federal Compliance for all mandated “Running Lights” and “Parking Reflectors” minimally needed for all over as well as under 80” Vehicles.  A common Trailer outline is shown in our sketch, but these applications could represent any RV or Vehicle.
  *”Running Lights” are – Tail, Sidemarkers, Clearance and I.D. Lights

We show the use of 7-Function Tail Light Assemblies that are FMVSS #108* Compliant and provides the always required (1) Brake, (2) Turn, (3) Tail, (4 & 5) Rear and Side Pointing Reflector, (6) License and (7) Rear Located (side pointing) Side Marker Light.     *FMVSS #108 = Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard #108 is on the web … and for your convenience … we have placed a courtesy link on our website - http://www.sierraproductsinc.com/ 

The use of our #205 WingTips® shows how lights and power can be saved when using properly, thought out, mounting positions.  Also, realize that the very important “Rear Facing Reflector” can be built into the Tail Light Assembly, or a Hermetically Sealed Rear Reflector can be mounted where it most effectively represent the vehicle’s presence and width in any Parking Situation.

In Figure A, we use Two Separate Red and Amber #205 Lamps (10 & 11) on each side for mandated Clearance Lights, and in Figure B, we’ve substituted a “single” 2-Color, Red/Amber #205 WingTip® for these two lights; whereas, both arrangements fulfill the (10)Front Pointing Amber as well as the (11) Rear Pointing Red Clearance Light Functions mandated by FMVSS #108 for Over 80” vehicles.  Further, both arrangements depict the “Widest Point”*, as well as the “Extreme and Overall Width”*, of the vehicle.
    *Note - NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) and DOT (Department of Transportation) and the Federal Highway
     Department use the terms “Widest Point” and “Extreme & Overall Width” interchangeably 

In Figure B, sketch also shows that when only one (single) all Amber WingTip® is mounted on a typical Trailer’s protruding Tongue … Federally mandated requirements for necessary “Side Sighting Angles”* and Photometric requirements are indeed “simultaneously met” for both the mandated right and left (9) Frontal (side pointing), Amber, Side Marker Lights, which also have been mandated since 1969 for use on all vehicles to provide proper “Side Pointing Conspicuity”** in order to best avoid nighttime (or foul weather) “T-Bone”, “Intersection Crashes” plus warn nearby Pedestrians of “presence” and length.
   *All of which are specifically designed to be 360° Seeable and are Photometrically Compliant to FMVSS #108, whether in our “Solid” or “Split Color” arrangements
  **Side Pointing Conspicuity guarantees that Intersection Traffic and Pedestrians never loose site of the vehicle passing in front of them.

Bottom Line … when any pair of our “7-Function” Tail Light Assemblies are complemented with a pair of our 5-Function*, Red/Amber WingTips® … and just one of our Dual, (Side Pointing), 360° All Amber, Tongue Mounted WingTips® … and a pair of (6) Tongue Mounted Amber Reflectors … then … all Federally mandated Lighting and Reflector requirements** are simultaneously met for any under or over 80 inches*** … less than 30 feet in length Vehicle.
    *Dual color, fender mounted WingTips® add driver appreciated “Location Back Up Lights” and augment Tail & Side Lights as a bonus
   **Over 30 feet in length, may require Mid Mounted (side pointing) Side Marker Lights and complementary Reflectors and possibly …
   “Conspicuity Reflectors” as well
   ***Except for 3 I.D. Lights … if required.

Remember! The three Identification (12) “I.D.” Lights* and the (10 and 11) “Forward” and “Rearward” Pointing Clearance Lights represent the only mandated differences** between what is required by FMVSS #108 for Under 80” as opposed to what is required for over 80” width vehicles** whereas, all other nine mandated Functions … items (1) thru (9) on our “Legal Summary” sheet … have all been mandated for “all” vehicles** since 1969 – no matter the length, width or kind*** of vehicle.
   *Note, that our quality, yet inexpensive, all Lexan® #327 3 I.D. Light Bars provides unique “No Tools, Snap Out/In Bulb Serviceability” …
they’re not Throwaways! … plus, they have “Tough Duty” and Submersible (Air Trapping) capability, as well as “built-in” Anti-Corrosion features that no other I.D. Lights in the Marketplace offer for a comparable cost!
  **With no noteworthy exceptions as long as Over 80” and Under 80” “Effective Projected Luminous Lens Areas” (EPLLA) minimals are met
 ***Conspicuity Tape” is required on over 10,000 # Gross Weight Commercial Vehicles … but not on RVs/Motor Homes.

Also, be aware that many years ago, the three required (12) I.D. Lights* were first mandated by NHTSA for the purpose of “Warning Identification” of wide and slow moving “Big Rigs”.  Apparently, these were also considered needed on “very hilly” roads so drivers coming up fast on the Rear of a Slow Moving Truck at the crest of a hill, would sooner rather than later see the I.D. Lights and apply their brakes sooner when needed.  Unfortunately, NHTSA still mandates that “Identification (I.D.) Lights” be mounted “as high as practical” on Wide and Tall Vehicles, which … considering today’s relatively flat highways and the elimination of sharp crests on hills … this mandate represents “Inconsequential to Public Safety” status and I.D. Lights would serve a much more important “Presence Duty”.           *Centered & 6” to 12” apart

Anyone taking the time to think about this subject would conclude that I.D. Lights … in order to be most “conspicuous” and most helpful to general traffic safety … should now be mounted as close as practical to the average driver’s Eye Level … not, as high as they can be mounted … which on Big Rigs can mean up to 14 feet above the pavement.

Further, we’ve also made it a “mission” to point out to all concerned that it would be very beneficial to general public overall “Road Safety Conspicuity” if I.D. Lights were allowed to be “Optically and Physically Combined”* so they could also act as an “Augment High Center Mount Stop Light**” (CHMSL) and/or as an “Augment set of Left/Right, close to Eye Level, Center Mounted, Turn Signals”** … which, a couple of years ago, we Petitioned NHTSA to allow (not mandate!) … but we were denied by NHTSA for their usual erroneous, non-sensible, arbitrary and dumb reasoning!  More on this in later writings!
   *or, at least … allowed to “share” the same Housing” and / or … the same Lens Areas
  **both are common sense optional additions and would obviously be very effective in reducing “Up Close Traffic” associated accidents (crashes)

In summary, realize that by using any pair of “7-Function Compliant Tail Light Assemblies, along with only three of our WingTips®” – OEMs can save three Lights and their $ cost for installation and wiring* for all their wider vehicles – and one Light plus installation is saved* for all Under 80” applications.  In both kinds of applications, the Trailer gains our valuable “Location Lights” as well as mandated Forward and Rearward Clearance Lighting plus augment Side and Tail Light (bonus) safety features.
   *And the Energy to illuminate for the life of the vehicle

Back to Index

©copyright 2006