VEHICLE DIMENSIONS AND MASS RULE

VEHICLE DIMENSIONS AND MASS RULE - LIGHTING & SIGNAGE REQUIREMENTS
It appears that there are differing interpretation being applied with regard to the lighting and signage requirements of the Land Transport Rule – Vehicle Dimensions and Mass 2002. The data is contained in the Rule and also in Factsheets published by the Land Transport Safety Authority. 


This Bulletin has been produced with the express purpose of showing just the lighting and signage requirements and has been taken from the Rule.



An Over-dimensional Vehicle is:

	Rigid Vehicles
	Light vehicles		Heavy vehicles
	Not towing	Towing	Not towing	Towing
Width	2-wheeled vehicles (classes AA, AB, LA, LC); 1.0m All others: 2.5m
Height	4.25m
Forward distance	9.5m	8.5m	9.5m	8.5m
Rear overhang	4m from rear axis		With non-steering rearmost axle, the lesser of 4m from rear axis OR 70% of foremost axle to rear axis, With steering rearmost axle, the lesser of 4.25m from rear axis OR 70% of foremost axle to rear axis
Front overhang	3m ahead of front of driver’s seat when in its rearmost position
Length of vehicle	12.6m	11.5m	12.6m	11.5m
Overall length	N|A	20m	N|A	20m

The following pages cover the sections mentioned above. 

LIGHTING REQUIREMENTS FOR OVERDIMENSION MOTOR VEHICLES1. The headlights of an overdimension motor must be operated on low beam during daylight hours. 

2. During the hours of darkness, the lamps in (3) (following) must be fitted to, and operated on, an overdimension motor vehicle, and must be clearly visible in clear weather at a distance of at least 200m during the hours of darkness. 

3. The lamps to which (2) (above) refers are: 

(a) steady white or amber lamps at the front, and steady red or amber lamps at the rear, of the vehicle’s load that:

(i) have an area of at least 50cm²;
(ii) are spaced approximately 1m apart at the extremities of the load that exceed the width of the vehicle, and at the extremities of the bottom of the load; and

(b) amber side marker lamps towards the front of the vehicle, spaced approximately 3m apart. 
(c) red or amber side marker lamps towards the rear of the vehicle, spaced approximately 3m apart.

4. A revolving amber light must be fitted to the cab roof of an overdimension motor vehicle and must operate:
 
(a) during the hours of darkness, if the vehicle’s load is 3.7m in width or less;
(b) at all times, if the vehicle’s load exceeds 3.7m in width;
(c) at all times, if the vehicle is being escorted by a pilot vehicle.

5. During the hours of darkness, two or more white scene lamps, each with a minimum power output of 100W, must be fitted to, and operate on, an overdimension motor vehicle whose load exceeds 5m in width. 

6. The scene lamps in (5) (above) must illuminate the front of the load, but must not be visible to following traffic.

HAZARD WARNING MARKINGS AND SIGNS Fluorescent yellow flags (at least 400mm long and 300mm wide) must be attached to indicate the: 

• excess width of vehicle or load at its front and rear 
• the front of the load if it has excess front overhang 
• the rear of the load if it has excess rear overhang 
• the rear of the load if it has excess length. 

You may use retro-reflective yellow green hazard panels instead of flags. 

If you’re travelling during the hours of darkness the flags must be replaced with retro-reflective yellow green hazard panels with a fluorescent orange chevron.

The panels must:

• comply with AS/NZ 1906.1.1993 Retroreflective materials and devices for road traffic control purposes, Part 1: Retroreflective materials 
• consist of retro-reflective material with a 200mm-wide chevron pattern with alternate yellow green and orange retro-reflective sheeting 
• have the illustrated dimensions and orientation 
• be frangible. 

If the vehicle is over 3.1 metres wide, OVERSIZE signs must be displayed at the front and rear. You must not display OVERSIZE signs unless required to do so by the Vehicle Dimensions and Mass Rule.