Are Traffic Police Allowing the Installation of Anti-Tailgating Strobe Lights?
3 Answers
Traffic police currently do not allow vehicles to privately install anti-tailgating strobe lights. According to Article 97 of the Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China: Illegally installed alarms and signal lights will be forcibly removed and confiscated by the traffic management department of the public security organ, and a fine will be imposed. The installation of lighting equipment on vehicles must comply with the following regulations: 1. The lamps of motor vehicles should be installed firmly, intact, and effective, and should not become loose, damaged, lose function, or change the direction of illumination due to vehicle vibration; 2. All light switches should be installed firmly and operate freely, and should not switch on or off by themselves due to vehicle vibration. The position of the switches should be convenient for the driver to operate; 3. Except for turn signal lights, hazard warning signals, and signal lights installed on fire trucks, ambulances, engineering rescue vehicles, and police cars, other external lamps are not allowed to flash.
As a seasoned driver with over 20 years of experience, I've seen many car owners install anti-collision strobe lights for safety, believing the flashing lights can scare off trailing vehicles to prevent crashes. But based on my experience, such modifications actually carry high risks. The rapid flashing of strobe lights can distract or panic drivers behind, especially on nighttime highways, potentially causing them to mistakenly hit the brakes and trigger accidents. Vehicle lighting systems are designed to standards - factory-installed taillights usually provide sufficient warning brightness. Adding unauthorized flashing devices violates safety regulations. Traffic police generally prohibit such modifications as they contravene Road Traffic Safety Law provisions on vehicle equipment. Getting caught means fines and mandatory removal. For genuine rear-end collision prevention, I'd recommend using factory brake lights combined with hazard warning systems rather than seeking temporary convenience that endangers yourself and others. Regular vehicle light maintenance proves more reliable than modifications.
From a legal perspective, installing anti-rear-end strobe lights is generally considered a violation, and traffic police typically do not permit it. Chinese traffic regulations explicitly prohibit unauthorized modifications to lighting equipment, and the non-standard flashing pattern of strobe lights constitutes illegal illumination, which may be regarded as behavior that interferes with driving. I have heard of cases where car owners were fined over 200 yuan after being caught installing such lights. The intent of the regulations is to protect overall road safety, as the flashing lights could potentially distract or disorient following drivers, leading to loss of control. To prevent rear-end collisions, it is better to rely on standard driving practices such as maintaining a safe distance rather than depending on additional modifications. The factory-installed warning lights are sufficiently effective—don’t invite unnecessary trouble. Checking local traffic police policies is advisable, but it’s best to avoid attempting such modifications altogether. Safety comes first, and compliance with regulations is the right path.
