Emergency vehicle lights were first used in 1948 by police. They were rotating and were referred to as the gumball light. It was mono colored at first, with red being the only color in them. Blue was added a while later.
Red is a standard color in emergency lights used in rescue vehicles and fire trucks as well for emergencies. Blue is a pair color, most probably for effect. It’s thought that blue lights aid those with color blindness to distinguish between colors.
In 1968, police departments gave up the gumball lights for bolder and more effective light bars that are in use to date.
Lightbars are available as low profile units, mini models, full-size models, and stealth models.
The law requires that owners have the right types of lights, so their cars are seen well from afar as well as at close range. You should install the right lights in the proper location, depending on the laws in your state.
Other Color Choices
Apart from red and blue, other colors are used to relay different messages:
- Amber, or yellow, which is used mostly by construction vehicles in a majority of states, mostly danger or caution
- Green, which indicates a fire chief’s car, a mobile command post or a firefighters car
- White, which is used mainly by school buses and tanker trucks for flashing as they refuel.
For a better view, emergency lights should be placed on the rear and front areas of a car.
Types of Emergency Lights
With the light bar being so successful, creators came up with other varieties of emergency lights to suit different people and situations. These lights are:
- Visor light
- Traffic advisor
- Interior dash light
- Surface mount
Emergency Lights for the Front End
Front-facing emergency lights are unique to their purpose and are easy to mount and dismount in most cases. The ideal lights for the use are:
- Dash lights that you can fix on the side windows as well, or even the rear if you wish. The LED variety can last up to 100,000 hours and has powerful output.
- Strobe Kits & hideaway LEDs that cannot be detected in tail lights and headlights until you switch them on
- Interior Light Bars
- Grille & Surface Mount Lights
- Visor Lights
Rear End Emergency Lights
Why focus on the rear end of your vehicle? To decrease the chances of rear-end collisions. Some top choices to keep this area safe are:
- Strobe Kits
- Traffic Advisors
- Bumper Lights
- Hideaways
- Surface Mount Lights
Note: Not all lights are made for the outer space of your car. An easy way to know if lights are for use on the inside area of your vehicle or not is checking if it’s weatherproofed. The non-weatherproofed type is best for interior use.
Your life and your vehicle are essential. At Mickey Genuine Parts, we know this too well and offer you the best emergency lights for every situation. Visit our website to check out what we have to offer now!