07.06
Agreed, the rear of the above 2009 Porsche GT3 RSR is nearly perfect. The curves and color scheme instantly raise heartrates and cause automotive fantasies to reach new heights. Now imagine this GT3 RSR with amber rear turn signals. It just wouldn’t look quite as sleek and sexy, would it? The National Highway Traffic Safety Admission could single-handedly taint the automotive industry by requiring all vehicles come equipped with amber (orange) rear turn signals. While orange lights may not affect the aesthetics of a Toyota Camry, Volkswagen GTI, and Ford Fusion, exotic cars around the world just wouldn’t look the same with the minor change. Can you picture a Bugatti Veyron or even an all-black BMW E92 M3 with a tint of orange on its rear? It’ll look as if it backed up into a tangerine tree. Grab your security blanket because you might have trouble sleeping tonight. Jump.
Fortunately, the NHTSA is polling the public for comments, so be sure to let them know what you think here. Check out the original post from Kicking Tires:
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is asking for public comment on a proposed new regulation that would mandate vehicle rear turn signals to be amber-colored. Currently, they can be either amber or red, in accordance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108.
According to a study by NHTSA, amber rear turn signals have proved 5.3% more effective than red turn signals in preventing crashes. The study focused on “switch pairs,” which are vehicles that switched rear turn-signal color from one model year to the next, while controlling for “extraneous factors” such as vehicle and driver traits.
European countries already mandate that turn signals be amber, and although 5.3% sounds like a fairly small difference, NHTSA says it’s statistically significant and in line with other studies done on the subject. If automakers have to make a separate, colored turn signal in the rear it will cost more money for the domestics, but save money for automakers importing European models.
The comment period for the proposed regulation will last through Sept. 6.
[Source: Kicking Tires]
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