Remember though, the OP was going to leave his center brake light red. He was asking about the turn signal lenses. He was or did rig it so the turn signal lights illuminated with the brake light. He was asking about leaving them amber, not making his center brake light amber.

 

Won't argue that other than it's not exactly the same as a helmet that you can take off and put on any time you please. It's more like a vertically mounted vs horizontally mounted plate.

I also live in MD where's there's frequently cross border travel between PA, DE, MD, DC and VA, so there seems to be a bit of extra tolerance for home state rules.

 

Actually, that's not correct.

First off, FMVSS 108 standards are the federal standards requirements driven by DOT NHTSA's public safety mandate for NHTSA regulated businesses that include manufacturers of vehicles and replacement equipment, alterers (customizers) and repair shops. In their own words in the forward to those regulations: "Regulations to which manufacturers of motor vehicles and items of motor vehicle equipment must conform and certify compliance."

While states typically follow federal guidance and industry convention, motor vehicle and traffic laws are fundamentally within the legislative and enforcement domain of the states. That's why each state has it's own DMV and there's not a bunch of federal police officers handing out traffic tickets ... and why states like MD get to have its own laws on the color of a brake light, whether or not you need to wear a DOT compliant helmet and that motorcycles do not need to even have turn signals (a law clearly in violation of NHTSA FMVSS guidance).

The previous point not withstanding, the DOT/NHTSA regs don't specifically state that auxillary amber brake lights are illegal. In fact, if the minimum equipment requirements are met, the language is silent on the whole matter.

DOT says motorcycles have to have one rear red brake light (FMVSS 108 Table III near the end). The OP's bilke is an Ultra, so he has one. It also says that rear turn signals can be red or amber. He has amber. Nothing illegal yet. With the run/stop/turn module installed, the amber lights become auxiliary brake lights in addition to being turn signals. This is what the statute refers to as "optically combined" lights.

S5.1.1 says "... each vehicle shall be equipped with at least the number of lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment specified in Tables I and III." Table III says his bike needs 1 red stop lamp and red or amber turn signals. He has those. It says noting about lights beyond the minimum.

S5.1.5 says "The color in all lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment to which this standard applies shall comply with SAE Standard J578c, Color Specification for Electric Signal Lighting Devices, February 1977." The standard says he has to have at least 1 red stop lamp and the standard applies to that requirement. He complies with that standard requirement by having a dedicated red stop lamp.

There is no language at all that addresses lamps beyond the standard's requirements - either by specification or prohibition. It does not say, for example, that "all stop lamps must be red".

It does say, specifically though, that "optically combined" lights are OK so long as the Table III requirements are otherwise met. That's in "S5.4 Equipment combinations" that says "Two or more lamps, reflective devices, or items of associated equipment may be combined if the requirements for each lamp, reflective device, and item of associated equipment are met..." It doesn't say that the combined light must meet both requirements, just that the requirements are met. His dedicated red stop lamp meets the Table III requirement, so the turn signals are off the hook for meeting the stop light requirement.

Since he meets all requirements (red stop lamp and amber or red turn signals) and the amber turn signal "brake lights" are in addition to the red stop lamp, there is nothing that says that the "optically combined" run/stop/turn lamps must be red or cannot be amber.

His light set-up is perfectly legal according to state law (at least in Maryland) AND his bike still meets all the FMVSS requirements, even though those regs do not apply to him.


Now, whether or not it's a good idea to have extra amber stop lamps is a different story. I find it hard to believe that extra lights, whatever the color, aren't a good thing. And studies show that amber turn signals are up to 28% more effective than red ones.


For what it's worth ... A 2008 study showed indications that amber vs. red turn signals reduced crash risk. A a subsequent 2009 study shows that amber was better than red to a statistically significant degree when looking at rear crash risk.

Another article on the subject

 

No. Not when it comes to the basic standards of things like the national requirement to have a red brake light. Then the states are not allowed to override the national standard with one of their own. The states can add additional requirements, sometimes (California emission standards for example). The states cannot erase the federal laws governing them. Which is why the likes of Marylands law is legally unenforceable, and unenforced.

 

DOTD regulations.

Front - white driving only
Front Half of vehicle - Amber Marker, turn indicators Only
Rear Half of Vehicle - Red Marker Lights Only
Brake - Red Only
Rear Turn - Red or Amber Only

I had the module but did not install it after I put on the BRIGHTASSLIGHT for a tail/ brake light. I want the amber turn signal because you can see that better in the rain, fog and I want to get the attention of the vehicle following when I turn them on. The Brightasslight lite will take care of the braking part

 

yes I still have the rear fender mounted light , along with the RED brake lights on the tour pac , I was inquiring about leaving the turns amber since they will now be brake lights also.
thanks mike

 

Thanks, and apolgies for not paying attention.
Maybe multicolor brakes lights (red center light and adjacent amber) would bet more attention-grabbing.

 

had a couples of LEO'S look at it , and both say nothing to be worried about since the original brake (on fender) and the red on the tour pac are stoll fuctional i'll be ok with the amber turn brake lights.. just thought i would let everyone know.
thanks mike

 

I'll give you that one - the states can't negate the national standard. Nevertheless, you are wrong about the amber lights being illegal and MD and other states not being able to pass their own laws.

First, the FVSS applies only to regulation of equipment provided by manufacturers and the like. Consumers can do whatever they want - and then risk getting a ticket.

Second, the FVSS applies to the minimum required setup. The OP's bike has a red stop lamp. That meets the minimum standard. The FVSS only requires this and is silent on any extra or auxillary brake lights except high mounted stop lamps which bikes don't have and to say that "optically combined" lights are explicitly OK provided the minimum setup is otherwise met.


The FVSS says bikes must have 1 red stop lamp back. It doens't say that you can't have 3. And it doesn't say that lamp #2 and #3 have to be red or cannot be some other color. So, the states can pass their own laws whre the federal law is incomplete, ambiguous or silent. The MD law says that stop lamps can be red or amber ... with the underlying expectation that there is a setup that meets the federal standard.

Therefore, with one red stop lamp and 2 amber run/turn/stop lamps, the OPs bike meets both the federal minimum standard and is compliant with teh MD law that his stop lamps are either red or amber. In this case, they are both red and amber.

A good article on the topic

So, I was a little wrong and so were you.

I also asked my brother ( a Sgt. State Trooper) and he gave a similar explanation.

As for states not being allowed to pass their own laws that are counter to federal laws ... it happens. Just look at the 20 states that have decriminalized marijuana. Permitted by state laws, prohibited by federal law.

 

I was looking at New Mexico laws on brake lights and its vague. Only one lamp required on the rear of the vehicle and lens must be red for the brake light. I would say if you meet the one red lamp requirement the other lights on the rear are up to you.