Security lighting for a vehicle

A vehicle structure, comprising

• a side body structure having a door opening;
• a floor;
• a rocker panel interconnecting the side body structure to the floor proximal to the door opening;
• a rocker panel trim member arranged to conceal at least a portion of the rocker panel, the trim member having a lower wall portion having a plurality of apertures formed therein, the lower wall portion defining an interior surface and an exterior surface and extending inboard toward the rocker panel;
• a plurality of light members disposed between the rocker panel and the interior surface and adjacent the plurality of apertures, the plurality of light members operable to illuminate a portion of the ground proximate the trim member;
• and
• at least one strip section having an upper surface and an opposing lower surface and extending between at least two light members of the plurality of light members, the strip section adapted to attach to the interior surface of the trim member.

A method of installing a lighting system in a vehicle having a rocker panel trim member adapted to conceal at least a portion of a rocker panel, the trim member having a lower wall portion defining an interior surface and an opposing ground-facing surface and extending inboard toward the rocker panel, comprising:

• forming a plurality of apertures through the lower wall portion;
• positioning each of the plurality of light members between the rocker panel and the interior surface and adjacent to a corresponding one of the plurality of apertures, wherein the plurality of light members are serially connected by strip sections;
• attaching the strips sections to the interior surface such that the strip sections are flush against the interior surface;
• and
• electrically connecting the plurality of light members to a power source, the plurality of light members configured to illuminate a portion of the ground proximate the at least one aperture.