At first look, the Heininger 1020 CommuteMate Flameless Flare seems like a good idea. In certain limited circumstances, I'm sure it might be useful. For most circumstances, however, I would only use it as an absolute last resort.The item is made of plastic. Not just any plastic, but appears to be manufactured of the kind of hard plastic that quickly turns very brittle and cracks when exposed to the extreme temperature variations found inside a vehicle, which after all, is where this item is meant to be kept. While it is battery powered, and doesn't really pose any kind of roadside fire hazard, its usefulness is severely limited.First of all, one has to rely on always having it loaded with good batteries. Dead batteries do noone any good, and I've found most people just throw items like this in the trunk or glove box, and forget about it, not really thinking to check the batteries regularly.But does it work? Well yes, sort of. The unit has a small lens powered by an LED that either blinks on and off, or lights up continuously. The continuous on is meant for a low-glare map light, while the blinking feature is meant to capture the attention of oncoming motorists. Unfortunately, the LED is not very bright, and is likely to go unnoticed from anyone farther away than 15 to 20 yards, and is so small and low intensity that even if noticed, it is doubtful anyone would recognize it as a hazard or warning beacon. While we certainly don't want anything so bright it blinds oncoming drivers, we also don't want something so dim that it doesn't trigger anyone's warning instincts soon enough.Interstate highway? Forget it, buy some reflective triangles. Rural highways? Not much of a chance of being seen in time at highway speeds. Well lit neighborhoods? It likely won't get noticed. From my perspective, about the only time a unit like this would attract any attention is if it was on a poorly lit rural backroad where the speed limit is 35 mph or under, and there are no other lights in the area to cause any distraction or overpower the weak light source this unit provides. Then, if your vehicle's hazard flashers don't work, by all means this is better than absolutely nothing. Just remember to check the batteries.