Lamps in the trailer - road safety
Lamps in the trailer - road safety
The safety of each road user is based on the attention of drivers and properly equipped vehicles - including trailers. Lighting therefore plays a key role as it not only improves the driver's visibility, but also serves to signal turns. Which lamps in the trailer are therefore mandatory equipment?
Lamps in the trailer - legal requirements
Elements of vehicle and trailer equipment guarantee safe driving. Many issues of this type are solved by legal regulations that exactly and precisely define what equipment a vehicle should have. Lighting on the road is extremely important as the right lamps allow the driver to drive the car in the dark. In addition, the vehicle is also visible to other road users. Therefore, the lights have a direct impact on minimizing possible road accidents.
According to the ordinance of the Minister of Infrastructure regarding the technical conditions of vehicles, the trailer must be equipped with:
• lights - rear position lights, direction indicators, brake and fog lamps.
• rear triangular reflectors, red in color - two pieces, located at a maximum distance of 400 mm from the side contour of the vehicle. Additionally, attention should be paid to the mutual distance, which cannot be less than 600 mm. On the other hand, the height of the installation of lamps should be from 250 mm to 900 mm.
• white front reflectors - also two pieces, while maintaining dimensions given for rear triangular reflectors.
• yellow side reflectors - the trailer must be equipped with at least one side light located in the middle 1/3 of the vehicle length. Remember that the length of the trailer is measured with the drawbar! The retro-reflector closest to the front part must be not more than 3 m from the front edge of the vehicle, and the one furthest to the rear 1 m from the rear edge of the vehicle.
Additional lamps in the trailer
The above lighting is mandatory in the trailer, however, there are situations when it is necessary to equip the trailer with additional lamps:
• a trailer wider than 1.6 m - white headlamps,
• a trailer wider than 2.1 m - front and rear clearance lamps,
• trailer with a drawbar longer than 6 m - side position lamps,
• the trailer has a GVM greater than 750 kg - reversing lamps,
• the trailer has a GVM greater than 3.5 m and wider than 2.1 m - rear contour reflectors,
• The trailer has a GVM greater than 3.5 m and longer than 6 m - side contour reflections.
A sturdy trailer for transporting cargo
It is also worth mentioning that in the case of a drawbar trailer or a semi-trailer whose length of more than 10 m or has a GVM of more than 10 tons, it must be equipped with reflective yellow and red marking plates with a fluorescent circumference.
The above information shows how important it is to correctly label your trailers. Properly arranged lighting has a great influence on the safety of the vehicle in road traffic. Vehicles enriched with trailers are most often used to transport large-size and heavy loads. A properly constructed trailer is able to safely transport a selected amount of goods to the destination. Therefore, the construction of the trailer, which must be based on high-quality materials, is of great importance. Solid and durable materials guarantee trouble-free use for years. The trailer must also be resistant to external factors - unfavorable weather conditions (strong wind, rain, hail, snow, high or low temperatures), especially if the trailer is used for collecting and transporting municipal waste.