Thought those lights on the side at front and rear were actually side marker lights (although they might double as turn signals)? So that you can see the car from the side at night, as you can't see the front or rear lights from the side. Quite a good idea actually. They were introduced in the US some time in the late '60s I believe.
Every country has its own ideas on what lights cars should have. For instance it's the law here in UK that all turn signals must be amber, but in the US they are often red at the rear, which can be extremely confusing when someone is braking whilst signalling and all the red lights at the rear can be flashing at once! Must be a lawsuit there somewhere..
