While driving, we rely on the signals and automotive lights to communicate our intentions to other drivers. For this purpose, the car brake light and tail light play an important role in communicating through signals and driving safely. Both of these automotive lights are located in the rear part of the vehicle. They appear similar and are part of one assembly, thus people often get confused with them. Also, many vehicles share the same bulb for car brake light and tail light. This makes it confusing for people about whether they are the same or different. Although they appear similar, their function and purpose in your vehicle are different. To maintain road safety and vehicle functionality, it is important to understand the difference between car brake light vs tail light.
In this blog, we will learn about the key difference between car brake lights and tail lights and gain an understanding of their purpose.
What Is Car Brake Light And Tail Light?
Before learning about the differences, let’s first understand what car brake lights and tail lights are. Both are rear lights but serve different functions and purposes.
Brake Light
A brake light is a red light located in the rear of the vehicle. It illuminates when you press the brake pads. They are located in the rear of the vehicle in the tail light system and sometimes share the same bulb as the tail light bulb. The primary function of brake lights is to indicate to the drivers behind you that you’re either slowing down or stopping the vehicle. Brake lights are critical for ensuring your safety on the road. It prevents rear-end collisions as other drivers can adjust their speed accordingly.
The brake lights are part of the braking systems and it is wired in such a way that they activate when the brake is pressed. The brake lights are brighter so they are also visible in the broad daylight. The brightness of the brake light ensures that the driver behind you can easily find that you’re decelerating, no matter in which lighting conditions you are. In most countries, a functioning brake light is a legal requirement. Thus, drivers have to ensure they are working properly to avoid fines and penalties.
Tail Light
Tail lights are the red rear lights that continuously illuminate when the vehicle’s headlights are turned on or the automatic lighting system detects low visibility. They are positioned in the tail light assembly system. Both brake lights and tail lights share the same housing but they operate independently.
Unlike brake lights, they are not visible in broad daylight as they have a different purpose. Its key purpose is to provide visibility to the vehicle in low visibility conditions such as snow, fog, rain, and night. Making your vehicle visible to other individuals behind you, helps the drivers judge the distance between their car and yours. They constantly glow when headlights are on to ensure your visibility during nighttime. Just like brake lights, functioning tail lights are a legal requirement. In many countries, drivers are required to turn on the vehicle’s tail lights when the vehicle is in motion.
Car Brake Light Vs Tail Light – Key Differences
Now that you’re aware of what brake lights and tail lights exactly are, let’s delve deeper into their differences:
| Key Difference | Brake Lights | Tail Lights |
| Purpose | Indication of slowing down or stopping the vehicle. | Makes vehicle visible to others in low visibility conditions. |
| Location | Positioned in the vehicle’s rear end in tail light assembly. | Positioned in the same housing as brake lights. |
| Activation | Activates when brakes are pressed down. | Activates when headlights are turned on or the automatic lighting system detects low-visibility conditions. |
| Brightness | Brighter than tail lights to signal to slow down and to stop. | Dimmer than brake lights to ensure rear visibility. |
| Intensity change | Intensity increases when brakes are pressed. | Consistent intensity of light. |
| Legal requirement | Necessary to prevent rear-end collisions. | Necessary to maintain visibility in low-light conditions. |
Why Brake Lights And Tail Lights Are Important?
Both brake lights and tail lights are important for your safety on the road. Here are a few reasons why car brake lights and tail lights are important in your vehicle-
Prevention of accidents
The brake and tail lights play an important role in preventing rear-end collisions. If the driver behind you is unaware of your intention (slow down or stop), they will be unable to adjust the speed of their vehicle in accordance leading to accidents. Also, if your vehicle is not visible in the nighttime or low lighting conditions, the driver will be unable to detect your vehicle. This increases the risk of accidents. Thus, understanding their importance in ensuring your safety is important so that you maintain both without overlooking any of them.
Communication of the road
The brake lights communicate your intention to other drivers. Also, the tail light assembly contains signal lights to indicate you’re turning to which side. Both are important for proper communication on the road to reduce the chances of misunderstandings. This further reduces the risk of accidents or collisions.
Legal compliance
Both brake lights and tail lights are legally required. The malfunctioning in either of them can lead to heavy penalties or fines. Thus, regularly inspecting them is important to stay compliant with legal requirements.
Understanding the role of car brake lights and tail lights helps you to ensure they are working properly. If brake lights are not working then it is likely a different cause than the reason your tail lights are not working. By understanding the difference, you can address the troubleshoot the problems easily.
Conclusion
In conclusion, brake lights and car lights have different functions and purposes in your vehicle. However, they are a part of the same assembly or sometimes share the same globe. Brake lights allow you to communicate your intention to other drivers behind you, whereas tail light ensures your visibility to others in low-lighting conditions. Both contribute to your and your vehicle’s safety on the road by preventing collisions and staying compliant with the laws.
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FAQ’s
Do brake lights and tail lights are the same?
No, brake lights and tail lights are different from each other. Although they are both rear lights and share the same assembly, they have different function and purpose. The brake light illuminates when you press the brake to indicate that the vehicle is slowing down or stopping. Meanwhile, tail lights illuminate when headlights are turned on or when the automatic light system observes low visibility.
Why are my tail lights working but not my brake lights?
Although brake lights and tail lights are positioned in the same assembly, they are wired differently. The brake lights are connected to the braking system, whereas the tail lights are connected to the headlights. If brake lights are not working, either the light fuse has blown or wires inside the fuse box are broken.
