A vehicle is constructed to include an upper body and an underbody underlying the upper body. The upper body includes a longitudinal first side section and an opposing longitudinal second side section, and the underbody has a first perimeter portion underlying the upper body's first side section and a second perimeter portion underlying the upper body's second side section. The vehicle further includes a lighting system for illuminating the ground beneath the vehicle. The lighting system includes one or more first side lighting elements mounted at the underbody's first side perimeter portion. At least one of the one or more first side lighting elements is oriented to emit light across the vehicle's underbody and illuminate the ground beneath the upper body's second side section.