<VV> Stop lights mandatory (No Corvair)

[Sethracer at aol.com]

In a message dated 9/19/2011 8:05:13 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
shortle556 at earthlink.net writes:

Anyone  know (or remember) when brake lites became mandatory equipment on 
passenger  cars? I know back in the early days they were considered optional 
equipment  (?). Obviously before Corvairs and the NHTSA. Timothy Shortle in 
Durango  Colorado 81301
 
Tim - Brake Lights? This will be a lot harder to answer,because there  were 
only sparse federal requirements prior to the 60s (Not 60s Corvairs, the  
1960's decade) There were a lot of State requirements, though. I would bet on 
 the 47 or 48 model year for a pair of them, way before for a single. Many 
trucks  didn't even have tail lights on both sides until the mid 50s. Turn 
signal  were the last addition I remember. Optional for some cars into the 
50's. I  remember the add-on units for cars/trucks which came without them. 
This is way  before the aforementioned back-up and high-mount brake lights.  

-Seth Emerson
 
(Yeah, Bill, I'm old too!)