Why do American cars have red rear turn signals?

[Jovial]

This study said that "yellow turn signals, in comparison to red turn signals, led to significantly shorter reaction times to brake signals." So there seems to be a definite safety advantage to yellow/amber turn signals.

http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a713807880~db=all

 

[Meniscus]

The simple answer is, "It's cheaper!" and amber turn lights aren't required by US law. I agree that amber turn signals are safer and it's just one of the myriad reasons I drive an imported car.

Alas, some imported cars now use red rear turn signals, such as my 2005 Honda Civic. I'm not sure when Honda started doing that. Both I and my family members have owned several Hondas over the past 20 years, and they used to have amber rear turn signals.

It is cheaper, but just how much do they save by not having a separate bulb for turn signals? Using the same bulb for brakes and turn signals requires slightly more complicated circuitry also...
Anyway, it just makes these cars look cheaper to me.

What jason_els said, but also, on a lot of cars, having both red brakes and red turn signals simply looks better, sleeker even. numerous imports have the same thing; my accord coupe has rear turn signals that are red

As I said above, so does my Honda Civic, but I don't agree that it looks better or sleeker. I agree with Jovial that it looks cheaper.

As a side note, when I am backing out of a parking space and I see someone coming I will take the transmission out of reverse just to let the other driver know that I see them and will not try to back out.

Thank you for doing that. I do the same thing.

 

[transformer_99]

Just me, but color of the turn signal is irrelevant. More importantly, how many use their turn signals ? Not only that, but how many make sure their turn signals even work ? Or how about whether even the lightbulbs haven't burned out ?. Any warning is nice these days ?