Collision Avoidance Systems Act of 2025

This bill makes it clear that cars, trucks, buses, trailers, and motorcycles can use a brake light that briefly pulses to catch drivers’ attention and help prevent rear-end crashes. The light can flash quickly up to four times for no more than 1.2 seconds when you press the brakes, then stay on like a normal brake light until you release the pedal . Starting on the day the bill becomes law, federal lighting rules are treated as allowing these pulsating brake lights on covered vehicles .

The Department of Transportation must update the national vehicle lighting standard within 180 days to set performance rules and formally allow these systems going forward . The standard being updated is the federal rule that covers all car and motorcycle lights, signals, and reflectors .

Key points

• Who is affected: Passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks, buses, trailers, and motorcycles
• What changes: Allows a high-mounted brake light to pulse briefly, then shine steadily while braking; DOT will set performance-based rules for these systems
• When: Allowed immediately on enactment; DOT must issue updated rules within 180 days