After-market light bar, visible brake light above rear window

[EllPea in CA]

I've read here that most rear-enders on FGRV's have to do with the brake lights being so far down and not visible to drivers in larger vehicles (like 18-wheelers). Some of you have mentioned installing a brake light above the rear trailer window.

Can someone recommend one of these to me?

Thanks,
Ellpea

[TappyGee]

Following.

[Elly G]

Sounds like a necessary mod.

[Johnny M]

Search the forums someone recently posted doing this with pictures, I believe it was Jay

[Kevin K]

I drilled a hole in the bottom of the trailer to access my tail light wires inside the back of my trailer. Then made a bracket to mount the 2 LED light bars. (No holes in outside fiberglass body.)

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Johnny M

Search the forums ....

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...bar-70982.html
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...rks-70675.html
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...amp-67997.html

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by Ellpea in CA

I've read here that most rear-enders on FGRV's have to do with the brake lights being so far down and not visible to drivers in larger vehicles (like 18-wheelers). Some of you have mentioned installing a brake light above the rear trailer window.

Can someone recommend one of these to me?

Thanks,
Ellpea

How many rear end accidents have there been involving FGRVs?

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

How many rear end accidents have there been involving FGRVs?

That statistic (fiberglass trailer specific) is not available so you will only get incidental reports. However you are welcome to read this report which states in part:

Rear-end crashes are the most frequently occurring type of collision, accounting for approximately 29 percent of all crashes and resulting in a substantial number of injuries and fatalities each year.

Better brake / tail light visibility will help in only a few cases, but enough that I ordered the optional second set of lights on my Scamp.

[mary and bob]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

How many rear end accidents have there been involving FGRVs?

Two mentioned on this forum that I know of. There is currently a ongoing thread on the rebuild of a Uhaul that had been rear ended. I'm working on a plan for high mount lights on our Uhaul. Did the Casita.

[Andrew Gibbens]

Originally Posted by gordon2

Better brake / tail light visibility will help in only a few cases, but enough that I ordered the optional second set of lights on my Scamp.

I would question whether it really helps, other than the driver's peace of mind. It's not like any fiberglass trailer is too small to see and I would question if brake lights really have that much effect on a following driver that isn't paying attention.

High-level brake lights in autos got some good test results - but then they were a real novelty at the time, which was probably a bigger effect than the lights being more visible.

[Bruce H]

The brighter the brake lights the safer the vehicle.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Andrew Gibbens

I would question whether it really helps, other than the driver's peace of mind. It's not like any fiberglass trailer is too small to see and I would question if brake lights really have that much effect on a following driver that isn't paying attention...

That is exactly my point.. most rear-enders are caused by drivers following too close, going too fast, being distracted, etc.

The best thing you can do is leave enough space so YOU don't get surprised and have to make a quick or panic stop... if you can decelerate at a slower rate that gives the guy behind you more time to react. But if you make a quick stop, that guy 10 feet behind you, going 60 MPG while texting, will hit you.

One time that having higher brake lights will help is when that same SOB following you too close is blocking the view of your low brake lights. That s the start of the chain reaction rear end collisions that often involve multiple vehicles.

(BTW, the tractor trailer is MORE likely to see your lower lights)