Those strings of amber lights on 18-wheelers are known as chicken lights. But why? Although the term’s origin is unclear, a participant in a discussion forum of the American Historical Truck Society suggests they may have been originally associated with trucks hauling Frank Perdue chickens. This is part of a complete episode.
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I’ve always assumed this came from the fact they were on the front of the truck. As in the lights you see when you’re “playing chicken.”