<P> In the United States and Canada since 1986 , in Australia and New Zealand since 1990 , and in Europe and other countries applying UN Regulation 48 since 1998 , a central stop ( brake ) lamp mounted higher than the vehicle 's left and right stop lamps and called a `` centre high mount stop lamp ( CHMSL ) '' , is also required . The CHMSL ( pronounced / ˈtʃɪmzəl / ) is sometimes informally called the `` centre brake lamp '' , the `` third brake light '' , the `` eye - level brake lamp '' , the `` safety brake lamp '' , or the `` high - level brake lamp '' . The CHMSL may use one or more filament bulbs or LEDs , or a strip of neon tube as its light source . </P>
<P> In the United States and Canada since 1986 , in Australia and New Zealand since 1990 , and in Europe and other countries applying UN Regulation 48 since 1998 , a central stop ( brake ) lamp mounted higher than the vehicle 's left and right stop lamps and called a `` centre high mount stop lamp ( CHMSL ) '' , is also required . The CHMSL ( pronounced / ˈtʃɪmzəl / ) is sometimes informally called the `` centre brake lamp '' , the `` third brake light '' , the `` eye - level brake lamp '' , the `` safety brake lamp '' , or the `` high - level brake lamp '' . The CHMSL may use one or more filament bulbs or LEDs , or a strip of neon tube as its light source . </P>
when did the third brake light become law
when did the third brake light become law
1986
1986