Blinking Porch Light Meaning – 4 Reasons
What happens if you see a blinking porch light in the neighborhood? Different colored porch lights have different meanings, but what about a flashing one?
Is this a sign your neighbor should replace their light because it’s going bad? Is it around Halloween and simply a decoration? While that can sometimes be the case, a blinking or flashing porch light is a recognized mostly recognized as an emergency signal.
So what does a blinking porch light mean? Here we will explan four reasons you may see this in your neighborhood.
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.
What Does A Flashing Porch Light Mean?
A flashing or blinking porch light is a sign of distress during an emergency. A person will attempt to attract an ambulance, fire truck, or police car by flashing their front lights. This prevents emergency vehicles from having to look for an address, making them able to arrive faster.
Most emergency vehicles are driving quickly to save lives, which makes reading house addresses difficult. With the flashing or blinking light, the emergency services know just where to go.
It’s important for people who see a porch light flickering in their neighborhood to take note of this and report it when appropriate.
Blinking Porch Light When Neighbor in distress
According to the Independent Mail, a man was able to help an elderly woman whose hip went out and needed help. She collapsed by her front door, unable to move but flashed her porch lights for help. A passerby stopped to check on her and was able to get her the help she needed.
Bad Bulb/ Faulty Wiring
Sometimes, a flashing porch light is simply caused by a bad bulb or a loose wire in the light. Many times your neighbor may not even know their porch light is flashing in this case. It’s better to be safe than sorry, so consider checking in on them to make sure they’re okay.
Halloween Decorations
If you see a blinking porch light in the neighborhood on Halloween, don’t worry – it might not mean someone is in distress – most likely it’s just a decoration.
There are times when people will use different colored porch lights to create an effect for Halloween or simply because they think it looks cool. Others will decorate with blinking porch lights like this one used for decorative purposes.
Conclusion
Although a blinking porch light can be a sign of a bad bulb or a decoration, most of the time it means someone is trying to attract attention for an emergency.
If you’re in the neighborhood, it’s best to check on your friend or neighbor to make sure they are okay. You never know – it could be a matter of life or death!
