Situations

Catalogue of possible applications

Real-world traffic situations in which a Front Brake Light on a vehicle would assist communication between road users. NB: The illustrations depict driving on the right but the comments are equally applicable to countries where driving is on the left.

Front Brake Light on car, bus, truck

Standard situations

Situation: Turning left from major to minor road
In relation to: Other vehicles
Advantage / Use: by oncoming drivers, making it easier for them to decide whether to wait or turn.
Advantage / Use for: Waiting drivers

Situation: Changing lanes, especially in dense traffic
In relation to: Other vehicles
Advantage / Use: by a driver who wishes to change lanes in front of the FBL vehicle.
Advantage / Use for: Driver wishing to change lanes

Situation: Approaching a bottleneck
In relation to: Other vehicles
Advantage / Use: by oncoming drivers making it easier for them to decide whether or not to enter the bottleneck.
Advantage / Use for: Drivers with/without right of way

Situation: Adjusting speed on the approach to intersections
In relation to: Other vehicles
Advantage / Use: by drivers who have the right of way, making it easier for them to decide whether or not it is safe for them to exercise that right
Advantage / Use for: Drivers with right of way

Dangerous situations

Situation: Heavy or emergency braking on the approach to a hazard
In relation to: Other vehicles
Advantage / Use: … by the driver of the leading vehicle who can decide if a rear-end shunt is likely and what evasive action, if any, can or should be taken. Especially relevant on motorways or other highspeed roads where quick decisions to either brake heavily or veer sideways onto the verge or hard shoulder are required to ensure survival
Advantage / Use for: Driver at the head of the line of traffic

Situation: Overtaking in ambiguous traffic conditions
In relation to: Other vehicles
Advantage / Use: by the oncoming driver who can detect the end of the overtaking manoeuvre more quickly
Advantage / Use for: Driver of the non-overtaking vehicle

Situation: End of traffic jam or other reasons to brake
In relation to: Other vehicles
Advantage / Use: The absence of a lit Front Brake Light on the following vehicle warns the driver to consider taking evasive action
Advantage / Use for: Driver of the leading vehicle

Situation: Driver as traffic obstruction (breakdown)
In relation to: Other vehicles
Advantage / Use: Failure of the Front Brake Light enables following vehicle to get off the road in time
Advantage / Use for: Driver with breakdown

Situation: Crossing an intersection
In relation to: Emergency vehicles with right of way
Advantage / Use: by the driver of the emergency vehicle who can determine more easily if the FBL vehicle is giving way
Advantage / Use for: Driver with right of way

Situation: Straight ahead over intersection despite other road user turning right
In relation to: Cyclists
Advantage / Use: by the cyclist who can then decide proceed or give way to the turning vehicle
Advantage / Use for: Cyclist with right of way

Situation: Waiting to cross the road (away from designated crossing places)
In relation to: Pedestrians
Advantage / Use: by the pedestrian and facilitate judging whether or not to cross the road.
Advantage / Use for: Pedestrian without right of way

Situation: Designated crossing place where the pedestrian has priority
In relation to: Pedestrians
Advantage / Use: by the pedestrian and facilitate judging whether or not the FBL vehicle will accede priority
Advantage / Use for: Pedestrian with right of way

– As driving becomes more highly automated and the driver becomes less involved in the actual task of driving, it will be necessary to provide new communication signals to replace those (such as facial expressions, hand signals and the like) currently used by drivers to inform other road users of their intentions.
– Also, as the proportion of electric and hybrid-powered vehicles increases, it will become more difficult for road users both to hear motor vehicles and also to detect any change in their speed.
– In both of the above instances, a Front Brake Light could make an important contribution to traffic safety.

Front Brake Light on motorbikes, trikes, quad-motorbikes etc.

Situation: Turning of cars through track
In relation to: Other vehicles
Advantage / Use: Observer-vehicle wants to turn right, from the right rear comes motorbike with right of way
Advantage / Use for: Road user requiredto wait