LED Versus Traditional Trailer Lights: Benefits and Drawbacks
Trailer lighting has evolved significantly over the past decade, with LED trailer lights now replacing traditional halogen or incandescent bulb units across the UK’s towing, transport, plant and agricultural sectors. As manufacturers, fleets and private tow-vehicle owners upgrade to modern lighting, one question continues to surface:
Are LED trailer lights really better, and what are the pros and cons compared with traditional lights?
This guide examines the benefits and drawbacks of LED trailer lights, compares them with conventional bulb systems, and aligns the discussion with relevant UK standards such as the DVSA towing and lighting requirements.
What Are LED Trailer Lights?
LED (Light Emitting Diode) trailer lights use semiconductor technology to produce bright, low-energy illumination. Unlike traditional bulbs, they do not rely on a glowing filament, which makes them inherently more durable and energy efficient.
How Do Traditional Trailer Lights Work?
Traditional trailer lighting uses halogen or incandescent bulbs. These contain a filament that heats up and emits light when electrical current passes through it. While inexpensive and widely available, the design is vulnerable to vibration, water damage and filament failure—issues common in trailers used for work, construction, agriculture or regular towing.
The Benefits of LED Trailer Lights
1. Dramatically Improved Reliability
LEDs contain no filament, meaning there is nothing to shake loose or burn out. For trailers exposed to constant vibration—construction trailers, plant machinery carriers, boat trailers, and agricultural units—this reliability is a major advantage.
2. Waterproof and Fully Sealed Designs
Modern LED trailer lights are typically sealed to IP67 or IP69K, making them resistant to dust, heavy rain, water immersion and high-pressure jet washing. According to DVSA safety guidance, lights must remain in good working order and visible at all times; sealed LEDs help ensure compliance.
3. Exceptional Brightness and Visibility
LED lights provide far better visibility, with faster response times than incandescent bulbs (up to 200 ms quicker). This is especially important for brake lights—giving drivers behind more time to react reduces collision risk.
4. Far Lower Power Consumption
LEDs consume up to 80% less power than conventional bulbs. For trailers using long lighting cables or towing vehicles with sensitive electrical systems, this reduces strain on the circuit and improves electrical efficiency.
5. Long Service Life
A typical LED can last 30,000–50,000 hours, vastly outlasting traditional bulbs. For fleet operators, this means fewer workshop visits and reduced maintenance costs.
6. Increasing OEM Adoption
Many UK and European trailer manufacturers—particularly those producing commercial, plant or construction trailers—now fit LEDs as standard due to durability and long-term cost savings.
The Drawbacks of LED Trailer Lights
1. Higher Upfront Cost
LED lights typically cost more than incandescent units. However, they pay for themselves through reduced maintenance and fewer replacements.
2. Compatibility Issues with Modern Vehicles
Some tow vehicles equipped with CANbus systems detect the lower electrical draw of LEDs as a “bulb failure” and show dashboard warnings.
This is easily fixed using a LED fault eliminator / smart load device such as the Lucidity 68007.
3. Complete Unit Replacement
If an LED fails (rare but possible), the whole lamp unit must often be replaced rather than fitting a new bulb. Still, LED failure rates are extremely low compared with incandescent lamps.
Traditional Trailer Lights: Benefits and Drawbacks
Benefits
- Cheaper upfront cost
- Bulbs easily replaced without changing the whole unit
- Compatible with nearly all older tow vehicles
Drawbacks
- Filament bulbs fail frequently due to vibration
- Poor water resistance – prone to corrosion
- Less bright than LED, particularly in foggy or wet conditions
- Slower response time for brake and indicator signals
- Short lifespan, requiring regular maintenance
Legal Requirements: What the DVSA Says
The DVSA requires that all trailer lights must be in good working order, visible, correctly coloured and compliant with road regulations.
Whether LED or traditional, lighting failure can lead to:
- Prohibition notices
- Fixed penalties
- MOT or roadside inspection issues for commercial trailers
Full guidance can be found here:
UK GOV – Towing a Trailer with a Car (Lighting Requirements)
Which Is Better: LED or Traditional Trailer Lights?
For the modern towing industry, LED lights are the clear winner. They provide better visibility, dramatically improved durability, lower power consumption and long-term savings for both private users and commercial fleets.
Traditional lights may still appeal to users wanting the lowest initial cost or easy bulb replacement, but LEDs now offer superior performance for almost every application—especially for construction, plant and agricultural trailers exposed to harsh environments.
Upgrade Your Trailer Lighting
Trailer Solutions UK supplies a full range of Lucidity LED trailer lights, including rear combination lamps, outline markers, number plate lights and smart load devices for CANbus vehicles.
Free delivery on all orders – browse our LED lighting range today.