The invention provides traffic safety apparatus including light-to-frequency converters for monitoring the status of traffic signals and tail lights of same lane close proximity preceding vehicles and when dangerous or potentially dangerous conditions are detected, visually and/or audibly providing an alert signal to the driver. The monitored information can be real-time recorded in the drivers vehicle and if desired, transmitted by wireless to off-vehicle receivers. Recording the information in the vehicle establishes an operational history that can be important for such uses as accident reconstruction, whereas information transmitted by wireless can be recorded by entities such as law enforcement, thereby adding an additional measure of traffic safety as well as providing documentation of driving infractions.