Grote Industries Unveils Innovative Brake Warning Light

At Grote Industries, highway safety is the number one priority.  As an industry-leading manufacturer of heavy-duty lighting and vehicle safety systems, Grote is in the business of anticipating customer needs and delivering cutting-edge solutions.  One of the biggest concerns on the road today is the danger caused by distracted driving.  With the frequency of rear-end collisions rising nationally as a result, Grote took the extraordinary step of applying for, and receiving, a waiver to allow motor carriers operating trailers and van body trucks to install supplemental brake-activated pulsating warning lamps.  Having secured this important legal concession, Grote is now proud to provide the transportation industry with a groundbreaking product to help keep our roads safe: the Auxiliary Strobe & Stop Lamp.

With over 300 rear-end collisions involving trailers occurring on our highways each day, Grote Industries believes that a light with brake warning functionality will improve visibility and safety for all drivers.  According to a recent study, a flashing brake light can help reduce the frequency of rear-end collisions by more than 33 percent.[1]  To bring greater visibility to trailers during the critical moments when the vehicle is braking, engineers at Grote developed the innovative Auxiliary Strobe & Stop Lamp, an add-on warning light that can be easily wired into a trailer’s existing brake light circuit.

In developing this new lamp, rather than just repackaging an existing product, Grote did what they do best; they studied the problem and listened to the needs of their customers.  The Auxiliary Strobe & Stop Lamp was designed to effectively draw the attention of traffic and give following motorists greater warning of braking.  To ensure that nearby drivers are aware of the vehicle’s actions, braking initiates a sequence of five amber flashes in four seconds followed by a solid red burn.  This light sequence far exceeds the attention-getting capability of standard solid-burn brake lights, while not overwhelming following drivers with long periods of strobing.

"The unique advantages of Grote’s Auxiliary Strobe & Stop Lamp have gotten the attention of fleets throughout the nation," says Grote’s Director of National Fleet Sales Mark Blackford, who found uniformly strong interest in the new lamp.  “Additional functionality for auxiliary lights will cut down on accidents, property damage, and make our highways safer,” says Blackford, adding, “with a product like this, at the end of the day, everyone wins.”

Blackford anticipates a host of benefits will result from the adoption of the new light, both for fleets and for the driving public.  Drawing attention to the actions of trailers will increase operator safety and minimize rear-end collisions, meaning less equipment and freight damage, less downtime, and fewer delayed shipments.  For fleet managers, that means a better safety record, fewer CSA headaches, more money saved, and most importantly, a safer road for everyone.  Thanks to Grote’s commitment to safety and willingness to innovate, the new Grote Auxiliary Strobe & Stop Lamp will deliver the crucial visibility that can help prevent accidents and, ultimately, save lives.