Almost every car today has brake lights on the back. But what if we added them to the front too?
Researchers at TU Graz in Austria believe this simple idea could help reduce accidents. Their new study shows that front brake lights might prevent up to 17% of crashes, especially at intersections.
How Do Front Brake Lights Help?
When a car in front of you hits the brakes, the red lights warn you to slow down. But people driving toward that car — or crossing the street — get no signal. With a front brake light, they would see that the driver is slowing down, which could help them react faster.
The research team tested this idea using computer simulations of 200 real crashes. When they added a front brake light into the simulation, drivers had faster reaction times. In some cases, crashes were avoided. In others, the impact was less severe.
What Would It Look Like?
Instead of a red light like on the back, the front brake light would likely be green, so it’s not confused with a stop sign or rear brake. It could be added to new car designs easily and even installed on older cars without much cost.
The idea isn’t new — it’s been discussed before. But this is the first time there’s clear data to show how much it could help.
Side Brake Lights Too?
The study also found that in about one-third of accidents, the front light wouldn’t be visible — maybe because the other driver was at an angle. That’s why the researchers suggest putting brake lights on the sides of cars as well.
What Do Drivers Think?
A real-world test in Slovakia had over 3,000 cars fitted with front brake lights for several months. Afterward, 75% of drivers supported the idea of making them standard.
Brake lights on the front and sides of cars might sound strange at first, but they could help everyone on the road see what’s happening sooner — and stay safer.
Would you support front brake lights on future cars? Let us know in the comments!
