WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA June 13, 2007 - When families embark on day trips and vacations this summer, they’ll have more to worry about than high gas prices. Millions of people will break down or crash their vehicle at night - and if they do, will they have the emergency light they need to stay safe?

Responding to a growing national trend and consumer demand for safe light on the road, Cyalume Technologies has created Roadside Emergency Lights. The “SnapLight” technology, now available to consumers, was secretly developed by scientists in the 1960’s to keep American military forces safe during the Cold War with the Soviet Union.

“SnapLights are based on the same chemical reaction as a firefly,” said Sandy Weisz, Cyalume’s Vice President of New Product Development. “SnapLights safely mix two chemicals in a plastic casing to create instant light. There’s no battery, bulb, flame, or heat – just safe light for emergencies, evacuations or distress signaling.”

The technology was critical and kept troops safe during night time operations. Now, NATO forces, the Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) use this emergency light technology on the front lines of man made and natural disasters.

Car crashes sidelined ten million people across the country in 2005, according to Federal Highway Administration (FHA). The FHA also says nearly 28 million vehicles broke down, stranding another 44 million people.

Grand total: more than 54 million people stuck on the side of the road.

“SnapLights are great to have in an emergency,” said Weisz. “Flashlights can be unreliable if the batteries die – and batteries begin draining the minute you put them in a flashlight; flares are dangerous because they spark fires, explosions and burns. SnapLights give motorists safe, reliable, long-lasting light.”

AAA is addressing this growing concern for safety by offering SnapLights in select locations. “We’ve had many requests for this type of product especially after the holiday season when there were so many stories about people stuck on the side of the road. These people did not have proper equipment when they broke down. SnapLights provide excellent visibility in the dark,” says AAA spokesperson Sandra Marsian.

Roadside Emergency Tips:

• Keep your roadside emergency kit inside your vehicle; if the kit is in your trunk and your vehicle is struck in the rear, your trunk may be damaged and not open.

• Do not use flares; they are dangerous and can cause fires, explosions and burns.

• Conserve your vehicle’s battery power; do not use dome lights to read maps or other critical information.

• Do not run your vehicle for light; you’ll drain gas and generate toxic fumes.

• Use a light source that does not require outside power or battery sources.

• Flashlights may not be reliable for signaling; when stored, batteries can drain and corrode, making the flashlight useless.

• SnapLights keep motorists safe in the dark; they turn on in a snap – literally – safely mixing two chemicals in a plastic casing to create instant light. There is no battery, flame, electricity or heat; lightbars are weatherproof.

• Tie SnapLights to your hood, antenna, door handles and the rear of your vehicle.