FMCSA Approves Additional Flashing Brake Light Exemptions

Two additional fleets have received five-year exemptions from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to install pulsing brake light technology on the rear of their trailers.

The technology from Intellistop, which turns standard brake and marker lights into multifunctional lights which can pulse four times a second, is intended to give following drivers more time to react and reduce rear-end collisions. It is not currently approved under FMCSA rules on brake lighting illumination and FMSCA denied Intellistop an exemption in 2022.

A total of 16 states, including California, approve flashing brake light technology and there is mounting evidence that the additional warning they give following drivers can reduce rear-end accidents by over 30%. The FMCSA has so far only been willing to grant exemptions to fleets that apply for them, rather than a blanket exemption to device manufacturers.

The newest exemptions were granted exemptions to the private fleets of Casey’s General Stores in Iowa and CVR Energy in Texas. They are only permitted to install the technology on 25% of their vehicles in the first year and 50% of their vehicles in the second year. CVR Energy plans to install them on its highway fleet but not on its crude oil fleet.

Watch a demo of the Intellistop technology.

Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on crashes that occurred between 2010 and 2016 show that large trucks are consistently three times more likely than other vehicles to be struck in the rear in two-vehicle fatal crashes. "FMCSA is deeply interested in the development and deployment of technologies that can reduce the frequency, severity, and risk of rear-end crashes," the agency stated in its report on the exemption grants.

The National Tank Truck Carriers Transportation Safety Equipment Institute (NTTC), the American Trucking Associations (ATA) and the Motor Vehicle Lighting Manufacturers Safety Institute (MVLMSI) supported Casey’s request for an exemption to use the Intellistop system. FMCSA previously granted exemptions to use a similar pulsing technology from Grote Industries on tank trailers operated by Groendyke Transport and other tanker fleets. NTTC has since reported that its members have experienced significant safety improvements, including fewer rear-end collisions and positive feedback from drivers.

The Groendyke pulsing system, which only uses auxiliary lights rather than required braking lights, resulted in a 33.7 percent reduction in rear-end crashes, according to the FMCSA report.