Interpretation ID: 11372

Mr. Kenneth W. Easterling
Plan B Engineering, Inc.
26399 The Old Road 14-106
Stevenson Ranch, CA 91381

Dear Mr. Easterling:

This responds to your letter of November 16, 1995, asking for our opinion of "G-Lamps", ("proportional deceleration indicator lamps) intended as a rear end collision avoidance device. Your system would flash the stop lamps proportionally to the rate of deceleration.

Over the years, the agency has received many requests for interpretations of the laws which it administers as they relate to deceleration warning systems. Our reply has been that it is impermissible to wire the stop lamp system so that it flashes, no matter what the purpose of the flashing. I enclose for your information, as a representative reply, a copy of our letter of July 30, 1993, to Wayne Ferguson of the Virginia Department of Transportation, which fully sets forth our views and interpretations.

If you have questions about these matters, you may telephone Taylor Vinson of this office at 202-366-5263.

Sincerely,

Samuel J. Dubbin Chief Counsel

Enclosure

ref:108 d:12/22/95