A little introduction here - I like the Elio and have signed up to get one, but I'm not really an automobile enthusiast. I just want something that will get me where I need to go, inexpensively and with reasonable comfort and safety.
I posted this idea on the Elio Motors website forum, but there's not much happening there - so this is a repost:
My mechanic says it would be easy to add the lighting package I want aftermarket, but it occurs to me that many others might want the same package, so I offer my suggestion here. I want both of these as safety features - the safest accident is the one that is prevented.
(1) "Third" brake light.
I know the Elio has a nice, wide brake light as is, but I also remember the discussions when cars began to get third brake lights in the 1980s. Trials had found that cars with a third brake light were involved in significantly fewer accidents, so this is a safety feature. There are two significant points about the third brake light: they were higher than traditional brake lights, and unlike the other tail lights they only turned on when the brakes were applied. This means they are much more visible (especially to cars two or three places back) and also far more noticeable. If the driver behind looks away for a moment and looks back, there is no question whether the brakes have just been applied or if the tail lights have always been that bright (especially in daylight) - if it is on, the brakes are being applied - period.
I have recently seen brake lights on cars that stretch the entire width of the vehicle, incorporated with LED tail lights in such a way that it is immediately clear when the brakes have been applied (other than just a question of brightness). These often have an outline of LEDS around the brake light - the outline lights are always on, the far larger, far brighter middle only turns on when brakes are applied. This may also be a good idea for the primary brake light, if it is not already the standard.
(2) Lighting on the front wheels.
As a minimum, I want amber lights on the outside of the front wheels so that oncoming drivers can immediately see where the vehicle is. Ideally, I want those amber marker lights (always on), amber turn signals, red brake lights, and even a low-powered headlight that would light up perhaps a hundred feet in front - especially useful when making a turn, as these lights would be aligned with the wheels rather than the body of the car. These could be angled slightly down.
I would think all of these could be fashioned into a single streamlined piece the size of a small flashlight that could be fastened to the outside of the fairings on the front wheels.
Any thoughts? Would there be any legal issues with these?