[CMOTD]

Self explanatory title, why do they put lights in slot cars?  They are an added complication and expense and are rarely used in the 1:1 version. There may be a justification for it with Le Mans type cars but BTCC cars never race in the dark, the lights may be used when it is raining but slot car tracks don't really have that situation. Headlights are only flashed now and then to upset the driver in front, but we can't do this with a slot car so why bother to fit them at all? The only thing that would be of use is fitted brake-lights but I don't know any manufacturer who does this. Apart from which slot car lights go out when you lift off the throttle - at the very point when a real car would need them as it enters a bend. The whole thing is a complete nonsense.

[Gordon Steadman]

Yup, just more unnecessary complication and nothing to do with racing at all.

   

[KensRedZed]

Why? Because kids love lights. They're cool to a ten or twelve year old that doesn't have a licence yet.

Easy enough to disconnect and snip from the chassis. I have a collection of slot car lights in the junk drawer.

Pete's Light Kits come with a capacitor that keeps the lights on for about 20-seconds without power. They look more real being on all the time. They're still on and very bright when the car stops.

[dvd3500]

Rarely used?
I beg to differ... all series except formula/indy and NASCAR use lights and don't freak out when it gets dark or there is a little rain...
Non-exhaustive list:
DTM
All GT series
Le Mans series
WCR
TCR
BTCC
etc etc etc... 
At the club where we race scracthbuilt 1/24 cars we race night races... lights are kind of a must have...

[Top Down]

Didn't Scalextric do analogue cars with brake lights at one time? I'm pretty sure I had one that did. 

Looked 'cool', using the modern vernacular. 

[Steven.G]

All my digital cars have working brake lights.

[Graham]

My local club does run a simulated “night race” twice a year with SCX GT cars, with the club room lights out except for the decorative track lights. Marshall’s are equipped with torches. Great fun.

[Gpa113]

We do the same.

Scalextric GT3  class, also BTCC racing with lights. Just four strategically placed tower lights to guide the way. 

BTCC did actually race in the dark, at Snetterton,  back in the Super Tourers era.

The best place I have ever seen racing in the dark?  Undoubtedly Spa, at the 6 Hour Classic. 
GT40s with glowing brake discs and flames out of the exhausts, awesome 

[ZeGas]

What KensRedZed said ...

Kids, Kids, Kids, Kids & Big Kids.

Off the shelf slot car sets such as Scalextric & Carerra are aimed at kids, sold in toy shops even .... for kids that have parents with big big budgets mind you, even if it is adults that play with them.

Therefore the marketing theory is, lets made them as appealing as possible. And, again, as Ken said kids love lights and sounds. They also like building and destroying stuff.
So police cars that pop up from time to time are a given winner.
I am surprised though that the building block hotrods from a few years back didn't take off, I got a couple of them and that was all my young (then) kids played with.

For adult racers the likes of Slot.it, Fly, Pioneer, Policar, Racer, Revoslot etc do not have lights as they are more setup for full on racing with tuning ability.

[Graham]

What Kevan said ...

Kids, Kids, Kids, Kids & Big Kids.

Off the shelf slot car sets such as Scalextric & Carerra are aimed at kids, sold in toy shops even .... for kids that have parents with big big budgets mind you, even if it is adults that play with them.

Therefore the marketing theory is, lets made them as appealing as possible. And, again, as Kevan said kids love lights and sounds. They also like building and destroying stuff.
So police cars that pop up from time to time are a given winner.
I am surprised though that the building block hotrods from a few years back didn't take off, I got a couple of them and that was all my young (then) kids played with.

For adult racers the likes of Slot.it, Fly, Pioneer, Policar, Racer, Revoslot etc do not have lights as they are more setup for full on racing with tuning ability.

Slot it supply lighting kits of course, I have known some National Le Mans events in the past requiring lights fitted for their 24 hour races.