NHTSA Complaint #10000221 — 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER

I FEEL THE DESIGN OF THE TAIL LIGHTS HAS CAUSED MANY CLOSE-CALL NEAR ACCIDENTS WITH MY FREELANDER. THE DESIGN IS COUNTER-INTUITIVE FOR THE DRIVERS BEHIND ME, WHO EXPECT THE LIGHT ASSEMBLIES ON THE CORNERS OF THE VEHICLE TO ILLUMINATE WHEN BRAKING. THE BRAKE LAMPS ARE IN THE BUMPER, HOWEVER- WHICH DOESN'T SEEM INTUITIVE OR SOMETIMES AREN'T VISIBLE TO A CLOSE-FOLLOWING VEHICLE. WHEN NOT ILLUMINATED, IT'S DIFFICULT TO EVEN SEE THE BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES EXIST, YET THE CORNER MOUNTED ASSEMBLIES ARE AT EYE LEVEL- BUT THEY HAVE NO BLINKERS OR BRAKE LAMPS. SOME PEOPLE HAVE STARTED MODIFYING THEIR OWN BRAKE LAMPS IN RESPONSE TO THIS ISSUE! I'D RATHER HAVE THEM CHANGED LEGALLY THAN MODIFY MY VEHICLE WITHOUT DOT/NHTSA APPROVAL.