Factors to Consider When Choosing Emergency Lights for Trucks

If you’re outfitting an emergency vehicle, especially a larger vehicle like an ambulance, tow truck, or police truck, there are a number of factors to keep in mind that could affect your choices in emergency lights. Emergency lights for trucks, vans, and SUVs are remarkably important since these vehicles are large and may obstruct roadways in emergency situations. Other motorists need to be able to react to vehicles that may be moving abnormally or stopping unexpectedly. Not all emergency lights for trucks will suit every need, though, so it is important to choose wisely and ensure that your vehicle is fully visible.

The first factor to consider in choosing emergency lights is the type of work your truck will be doing. If your truck is going to be used as a police cruiser, for example, you will likely want a red-and-blue top mounted emergency light bar. The same light bar, however, might not be suitable for a truck that will be used as a discreet, undercover cruiser. Therefore, it is very important that you consider usage while thinking about which emergency lights are best for your vehicle.

If your vehicle is going to have multiple purposes, it is likely to be worthwhile to you to purchase a set of emergency lights that are programmable. Especially with LED lights, some emergency light setups can display numerous colors, patterns, and even viewing angles. Flexible emergency lights can make a big difference if your vehicle will be used as both a patrol car and for traffic direction. Simply program a slow-speed flash to notify drivers of oncoming traffic direction by an officer and a high-speed flash for signaling that a vehicle needs to pull over for a ticket.

You should also consider the environment your vehicles will be working in. If you’re likely to do work on a highway, for example, having top-mounted, grill-mounted, and side-mounted emergency lights for trucks in your fleet are likely to be incredibly useful. Fully-lit vehicles might not be as useful in residential environments, where it is most important to notify pedestrians rather than masses of cars. In a residential environment, too much light could cause disturbances to those who are not involved in the site of an emergency.

The environment can also have an effect on your needs in regards to the durability and materials of your emergency lights. If you live in a desert state, for example, you will need to get emergency lights that are certified for higher temperatures. Plastic emergency lights mounted on black police trucks could melt under the midday sun, causing expensive and potentially dangerous downtime. The same rules apply to cold environments, where purchasing inappropriately designed plastics could lead to cracking and device failure.

Keeping these core considerations in mind will ensure that you get a set of lights that you are satisfied with and that will serve your department best. If you’re not quite sure what models and types of lights are right for you, come visit us at www.ultrabrightlightz.com and let our professionals guide you to a perfect fit!