GB2422000A

GB2422000A - Forward-facing brake light for vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2422000A
Application number: GB0500258A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian Jewell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-01-07
Filing date: 2005-01-07
Publication date: 2006-07-12
Also published as: GB0500258D0

Abstract

A device includes at least one auxiliary light 104 adapted to be fitted in a front or forward-facing position on a vehicle. The device has means 103 for activating the light when the vehicle brakes are operated. The auxiliary light may be green, blue, or amber in colour. The light may be incorporated in a trafficator unit. A vehicle 100 incorporating the device is also provided.

Description

1 2422000

ROAD SAFETY AIDS

The present invention relates to road safety aids For many years road vehicles have been fitted with auxiliary rear lights which are activated when the vehicles' brakes are operated, thus giving warning to following vehicles that a vehicle to which such lights are fitted is slowing down Such brake lights, as they are known usually, are of great value, particularly in conditions of poor visibility when it may be difficult to assess changes in the speed of a preceding vehicles, and many accidents have been prevented by their use However, no such aids exist to assist in the determination of decreases in the speed of approaching vehicles and many accidents occur, particularly to those who do not drive and elderly people whose judgement of the speed of an approaching vehicle may be faulty and who consider that a vehicle is slowing down when this is not so Also an approaching vehicle may be indicating that it is about to make a turn and so encourage another vehicle or person to move into the path of' the vehicle, when in fact it does not intend to make a turn and is proceeding at a steady speed It is an object of the present invention to provide a means for assisting in the determination of decreases in the speed of an oncoming vehicle and to provide an indication that such an event may occur According to the invention, in one aspect there is provided a road safety device for assisting the determination of decreases in the speed of an approaching vehicle comprising at least one auxiliary light adapted to be fitted in a forward-facing position on a vehicle and means for activating the auxiliary light when the brakes of a vehicle to which it is fitted are operated According to the invention, in a second aspect there is provided a vehicle including a road safety device comprising at least one forward-facing auxiliary light adapted to be activated when the brakes of the vehicle are operated Preferably, the auxiliary light is distinctive by virtue of its colour, intensity or position The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a schematic wiring diagram of part of the electrical circuits of a vehicle embodying the invention Referring to the drawing, a vehicle 100 embodying the invention is represented by the dashed outline 101 The vehicle 100 is provided with two rearward-facing auxiliary lights 102 which are activated by means of a switch 103 when the brakes of the vehicle are operated, in the conventional way The vehicle 100 also is provided with two forward-facing auxiliary lights 104 which are adapted to be activated when the switch 103 is closed The auxiliary lights 104 may be additional white lights, but preferably, they should be a distinctive colour, green would seem appropriate, for example Blue could be used, but there might be a risk of confusion with emergency vehicles, although the blue lights used by such vehicles usually flash consistently The auxiliary lights 104 need not be separate units but could, for example take the form of second bulbs in the trafficator units of the vehicle 100, or even bulbs with second filaments and terminals, as a modification of existing trafficator units Another possibility for making the auxiliary lights 104 distinctive is to place them in a standardised position on the vehicle Although one could arrange for the headlights of the vehicle 100 to be activated by the brakes of the vehicle 100, and the invention is considered to extend to this arrangement This would have disadvantages and is not really to he recommended It)

Claims

1 A road safety device for assisting the determination of decreases in the speed of an approaching vehicle comprising at least one auxiliaiy light adapted to be fitted in a forward-facing position on a vehicle and means for activating the auxiliary light when the brakes of a vehicle to which it is fitted are operated, 2 A road safety device according to claim I wherein the auxiliary light is of' a distinctive colour 3 A road safety device according to claim 2 wherein the colour of the auxiliary light is green, blue or amber 4 A road safety device according to claim 3 wherein the distinctive colour of the auxiliary light is amber and it is incorporated in a front trafficator unit of the vehicle A road vehicle including a road safety device including at least one forward- facing auxiliary light according to any of claims 2 to 4 6 A road safety device substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawing 7 A vehicle including a device including a safety device substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawing