TAIL-LIGHTS FOE SAFETY

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23446, 29 September 1941, Page 3

TAIL-LIGHTS FOE SAFETY

♦ DANGERS REDUCED AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION’S MESSAGE “A new prominence has been given by the ‘black-out’ regulations to the necessity for completely effective taillights, though many instances have been noted of ineffective equipment through various causes,” says the latest road safety message of the Automobile Association, Canterbury. “The absence of tail-lights is applicable not only to motor-vehicles of all kinds but also to horse-drawn vehicles. While the danger through vehicles generally not carrying an effective tail-light is considerable, perhaps the greatest degree of risk is represented in the truck or lorry because of the width of such vehicles, and the absence of any reflective surface or distinguishing colours at the rear. The danger of overtaking such trucks or lorries on narrow roads is a very real one as following drivers are fully aware. “The regulations demand the use of an effective tail-light for two important reasons; (1) that the number plate and its number may be plainly revealed; (2) that a red light may show clearly to the rear. And if the taillights are placed as near to the righthand side of the vehicle as possible clear indication of the width of the vehicle will be given to following drivers, a most valuable contribution to road safety. “It has been noted that now and then vehicles have been abroad at night-time with a white light showing to the rear. That is in direct conflict with the regulations. “Every motorist should be as careful of maintaining the tail-light in effective working condition as he is of the headlights. Because the taillight is at the rear it is too often forgotten until official attention is drawn to the faulty equipment. On very many cars the tail-light is subject to bombardment by road metal flung up by the wheels, but a more common cause of trouble comes from damage done by other cars to the tail-light on parking places. The bulbs and filaments are very sensitive and delicate, wires become chafed, and connexions become dirty. It is only by constant supervision that tail-lights, and everything else about a car, can be maintained in effective, safe order.”