Many drivers struggle to see oncoming broken down vehicles whilst driving in the dark due to the lack of illumination. This can be solved by using LED road flares, which can be seen from long distances with various flashing light patterns.
The best LED road flares are the Wagan EL2639-3 Flares, which are battery powered with 10 different light output setting for maximum visibility.
They can also be used to help navigate your vehicle within an unlit area such as a driveway, garage and much more. In terms of road flares, LED technology is taking over with a higher light output, better reliability and the fact that it can be recharged.
Table of Contents
Best LED Emergency Road Flares
| LED Road Flares | Power | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Wagan EL2639-3 | 3 x AAA Batteries | 38 Hours |
| SpeedTech Discs | Internal Battery | 60 Hours |
| Stonepoint Kit | 3 x AAA Batteries | 60 Hours |
| Securityman Emergency Kit | 3 x AAA Batteries | 40 Hours |
| WISLIGHT Safety Strobes | 3 x AAA Batteries | 5 Hours |
Standard flares that are often used in the marine industry can only be used once, which is a major flaw. LED road flares may have a larger initial cost but overtime they pay for themselves with most being powered by replaceable batteries.
Most vehicles will have a car emergency kit in their trunk but not all will include a flare. However, depending upon the kit you have, you may only have a single road flare, which is simply not enough to seen from long distances on a dark road.
Below is a list of the best LED road flares that will provide bright illumination in an emergency or whenever you need light in a dark area.
Wagan Flashing Roadside Emergency LED Flare
The Wagan LED road flares are by far the most popular and have been producing automotive products for over 35 years. The reason this is important is that there are hundreds of brands that produce these devices but none are as estabilished as the Wagan brand.
Features of the Wagan LED road flares include:
- Powered by 3 AAA batteries
- 10 different lighting modes
- Shatterproof design
- Package includes 3 flares and storage bag
- Hanging hook stand and its magnetic
- 15 LEDs that will run for up to 38 hours
- Floats in water and has a IP55 waterproof rating
Overall, it is the best LED road flares for the money with good all-round performance and excellent value for money. You also have the reputable backing of the established brand for peace of mind.
If you are looking for additional performance, Wagan even offer a PRO model. This features an impressive battery life of up to 100 hours, has a IP67 rating has is illuminated by white and red colored LEDs. However, you will have to pay a premium for this model and the standard works perfectly fine as a road flare.
Check it OutSpeedTech Rechargeable LED Disc Road Flares
For those that do not want to use disposable batteries and wish to use an internal rechargeable battery, the SpeedTech package is the best option. They come in a pack of 6, so there is a premium price to pay but its a great investment.
Features of the SpeedTech Rechargeable LED Disc Flares include:
- 16 LED in each flare
- 9 different flash patterns
- Waterproof and flotatable
- Magnetic base and durable housing
- 60 hours battery life on the most efficient setting
- Red colored LED light output
- 1 year warranty
Unlike other rechargeable road flares, these all charge at the same time whilst they are all placed within the case. It does take a fair amount of charge to do them all at the simultaneously (approximately 12 hours) but you are able to do 1 or 2 in order to speed up the charging process.
These are premium LED road flares and are suited to people that will use them regularly such as emergency services, vehicle recovery and others.
Check it OutStonepoint Emergency LED Road Flare Kit
For those that are looking for the best bang for their buck, the Stonepoint LED flares may be the solution. They provide 360 degree visibility that can be visible from up to two miles away, which is highly impressive considering the low cost.
Features of the Stonepoint Emergency LED Road Flare Kit include:
- 60 hour run time on most efficient setting
- Powered by 3 AAA batteries
- Crush resistant design with magnetic base
- Flashing or solid light output settings
- 50,000 hour lifespan
Overall, these LED road flares by Stonepoint are great for those looking for a cheap set with a long lifespan. The only drawback would be the lack of light pattern settings but realistically, you are only really going to use a flashing or solid light.
Check it OutSecurityman LED Road Flares
Another excellent value LED road flare package is the Securityman kit, which includes 3 LED road flares, safety vest, storage bag and even 9 AAA batteries to power up the flares.
Features of the Securityman LED Road Flares Kit include:
- Can be seen from up to 1 mile away
- 9 flashing light patterns
- Waterproof rating of IP66
- Magnetic base and hook
- Crush and corrosion resistant
- 360 degree of light visibility
- 40 hours of usage in the most efficient mode
- DOT certified
- 1 year warranty
Overall, they are high quality LED road flares that are built to last with a durable construction. As you can see from the features, it has plenty and the complete kit even comes equipped with the batteries you need to power the flare up too.
Check it OutWISLIGHT LED Emergency Flashing Flares
Instead of the standard style of LED road flares, you can opt for a set that stand upright for additional visibility. The clever design of the Wislight flares means that you can either use the stand as a base of stick the flare to the vehicle via the magnetic base at the bottom.
Other features of the WISLIGHT LED Emergency Flashing Flares include:
- Uses AAA batteries
- 3 operation modes to attract attention
- Red LED light output
- Light is visible from 3,000 feet
- Includes a durable storage case
Overall, the LED road flares by Wislight provide an excellent way of illuminating your vehicle via the magnet or elevated base. The only main drawback is that they do use a fair amount of battery power with a run time approximation of just 5 hours.
Check it OutLED Road Flares Buying Guide
Roadside safety during an emergency is critical and more of an essential in low light conditions. One of the best ways to make yourself visible whilst broken down is by using a flare to output light. Flares in general have been around for many years but most people are moving towards LED road flares that are battery powered.
With various light output pattern setting to choose, you can make yourself clearly visible in the road to other drivers on the road. LED flares are used by emergency, recovery and other services but are becoming more common for use by average motorists as part of their emergency road side kit.
To help you make an informed buying decision with regards to LED road flares, we have produced the below buying guide.
Number of LEDs and Brightness
You will want the LED road flare to be as bright as possible for maximum visibility. There are some devices that can be seen from up to 2 miles away, which is highly impressive. This can be achieved by having many LEDs inside of each road flare. Within this article, some of the premium flares have 3 LEDs whereas cheaper alternatives only have 1 LED.
Manufacturers of road flares could of course add more LEDs but this will mean an extra draw of power from the batteries. On top of this, as long as the road flare can be seen from a reasonable range, there is no actually need to make it even more brighter.
Battery Usage
The amount of run time each flare can achieve is probably one of the most important factors. It can be quite frustrating having to replace or recharge the battery of a regular basis. Most LED road flares will come with various light settings where some may be more battery efficient than others.
Depending upon its usage, you may want to place it on the most efficient setting if you are planning to have them on for long periods of time. Most road flares have a maximum run time of 30 hours and anything longer is above average. We highly recommend placing a spare set of batteries in the case for peace of mind.
It is worth mentioning that not all road flares work from batteries. For example, the SpeedTech device within this article charges the flares from an outlet. This poses a different type of problem as you cannot simply replace the batteries. Therefore, you may want to check the charge of the flares of a regular basis.
Light Pattern Settings
Adjusting the light settings to further improve your visibility and attract the attention of other drivers can be very useful.
Most flares have the standard 1 second flashing pattern and solid light but others may include strobe lighting and various other settings.
Durability and Design of the Flare
A rugged design is fairly important when it comes to the construction of a road flare. There is a potential for them to be subjected to heavy impacts and even driven over by a car. Therefore most are designed to be crush resistant and generally built to last. Virtually every road flare is also waterproof with some having the ability to float on water too.
Magnets, Hooks and Stands
Unless you opt for a “hockey puck” style of road flare, you may require a stand of to place the road flare onto. However, many have clever design that include magnets or hooks for placing the flare onto the vehicle or a nearby object. These magnets or hooks are very useful for when you are on your own as you can place them virtually anywhere without having to hold them with your hands. For example, if you need a light to check the engine, you can simply hook the flare to the hood of the car.
How to Use a Road Flare
It may seem fairly obvious but you basically want to make yourself as visible as possible to other drivers on the road. Therefore, you will want to select the appropriate light setting on the flare and place it on the road where incoming traffic will be able to see it. The more LED road flares you have the better and you will want to attract the attention of other drivers to the best of your ability.
Conclusion
The introduction of LED for road flares is very beneficial as they are reusable with the only disposable component being the batteries. Whilst breaking down in the dark, it can be pretty scary as other drivers may not see you on the side of the road.
Investing into a quality LED road flare such as the recommendations in this article will ensure you are easily visible whilst broken down. They are relatively affordable and will last for many years too, which makes them a great investment.
