Motor Vehicles (Standards) Regulations - Australian Vehicle Standards Rules

Part 1 Introductory

Division 1 General

1 Name of regulations 1

2 Object of Vehicle Standards 1

Division 2 Some features of the Vehicle Standards

3 Definitions

– the dictionary etc 2

4 Diagrams 2

3A References to another law of this jurisdiction 2

5 Notes 2

6 Examples 2

Part 2 Application of the Vehicle Standards

7 Application to vehicles and combinations on roads and road-related areas 3

8 What is a road 3

9 What is a road-related area 3

10 Vehicles to which the Vehicle Standards do not apply 3

11 Non-application of Vehicle Standards – exemption under other laws 4

12 Non-application of Vehicle Standards – inconsistent ADR requirements 4

13 Non-application of Vehicle Standards – approvals under other laws 5

Part 3 Australian

Design Rules

Division 1 Interpretation

14 What is an ADR 6

Division 2 Compliance with ADRs

19 Compliance with second edition ADRs 6

20 Compliance with third edition ADRs 7

21 Exception to compliance with ADRs – vehicles that are not road vehicles 8

22 Exception to compliance with ADRs – particular approvals 8

23 Partial exception to compliance with ADRs – personally imported vehicles 10

Part 4 Adopted standards

24 What is an adopted standard 11

25 Reference to adopted standards 11

26 Exception to compliance with adopted standards 11

Part 5 General safety requirements

Division 1 All vehicles

27 Steering 11

28 Turning ability 12

29 Ability to travel backwards and forwards 12

30 Protrusions 12

31 Driver’s view and vehicle controls 12

32 Seating 13

33 Mudguards and spray suppression 13

34 Horns, alarms etc 14

35 Rear vision mirrors 15

36 Rear vision mirrors – surfaces 16

37 Additional rear vision mirrors 16

38 Automatic transmission 16

39 Diesel engines 17

40 Bonnet securing devices 17

41 Electrical wiring, connections and installations 17

42 Television receivers and visual display units 18

43 Windscreens and windows 18

44 Window tinting 19

45 Windscreen wipers and washers 20

46 Wheels and tyres – size and capacity 21

47 Pneumatic tyres generally 21

48 Pneumatic tyres – carcass construction 21

49 Pneumatic tyres – size and capacity 22

50 Tyres

– defects 22

51 Tyres for use on vehicles with GVM over 4.5 tonnes 22

52 Tyres

– manufacturer’s rating 22

53 Retreads 23

54 Tyre tread 24

Division 2 Additional requirements for motor bikes

55 Steering gear and handlebars 24

56 Foot rests 25

57 Chain guards 25

Part 6 Vehicle marking

58 Vehicle and engine identification numbers 26

59 White or silver band on certain vehicles 26

60 Warning signs for combinations over 22 metres long 26

61 Warning signs not to be displayed on other vehicles 27

62 Specifications for warning signs 27

63 Left-hand drive signs 28

Part 7 Vehicle configuration and dimensions

Division 1 Axles

64 Axle configuration 29

65 Relation between axles in axle group 30

Division 2 Dimensions

66 Width 31

67 Length of single motor vehicles 31

68 Length of single trailers 31

69 Length of combinations 32

70 Rear overhang 33

71 Trailer drawbar length 33

72 Height 34

73 Ground clearance 34

Part 8 Lights and reflectors

Division 1 General requirements for lights

74 Certain requirements apply only at night 35

75 Prevention of glare 36

76 Pairs of lights 36

Division 2 Headlights

77 Headlights to be fitted to vehicles 36

78 How headlights are to be fitted 37

79 How single headlights are to be fitted 37

80 How additional headlights are to be fitted 38

81 Performance of headlights 38

82 Effective range of headlights 38

83 Changing headlights from high-beam to low-beam position 38

Division 3 Parking lights

84 Parking lights 39

Division 4 Daytime running lights

85 Daytime running lights 40

Division 5 Tail lights

86 Tail lights generally 41

87 Pattern of fitting tail lights 41

88 Performance of tail lights 42

89 Wiring of tail lights 43

Division 6 Number plate lights

90 Number plate lights 43

Division 7 Clearance lights

91 Front clearance lights 43

92 External cabin lights 44

93 Rear clearance lights 44

Division 8 Side marker lights

94 Vehicles needing side marker lights 45

95 Location of side marker lights 45

96 Performance of side marker lights 46

97 Side marker lights and rear clearance lights 47

Division 9 Brake lights

98 Fitting brake lights 47

99 Performance and operation of brake lights 48

Division 10 Reversing lights

100 Reversing lights 49

Division 11 Direction indicator lights

101 Direction indicator lights on motor vehicles 49

102 Direction indicator lights on trailers 50

103 Location of direction indicator lights 50

104 Operation and visibility of direction indicator lights 51

Division 12 Fog lights

105 Front fog lights 52

106 Rear fog lights 53

Division 13 Interior lights

107 Interior lights 53

Division 14 Reflectors generally

108 General requirements for reflectors 54

Division 15 Rear reflectors

109 Rear reflectors 54

Division 16 Side reflectors

110 Compulsory side reflectors on pole-type trailers 55

111 Optional side reflectors 55

Division 17 Front reflectors

112 Compulsory front reflectors on trailers 55

113 Optional front reflectors 56

Division 18 Warning lights and signs on buses carrying children

114 Application of Division 56

115 Fitting of warning lights and signs 56

116 Operation and performance of warning lights 57

117 Specifications for warning signs 58

Division 19 Other lights, reflectors, rear marking plates or signals

118 Other lights and reflectors 59

119 Rear marking plates 60

120 Signalling devices 61

122 Turn signals 62

121 Mechanical signalling devices 62

Division 20 Vehicles not required to have lights or reflectors

123 Certain vehicles used in daylight 63

124 Certain vehicles used for collection or exhibition purposes 63

Part 9 Braking systems

Division 1 Brake requirements for all vehicles

125 Parts of a braking system 63

126 Provision for wear 64

127 Supply of air or vacuum to brakes 64

128 Performance of braking systems 65

Division 2 Motor vehicle braking systems

129 What braking system a motor vehicle must have 67

130 Operation of brakes on motor vehicles 68

131 Air or vacuum brakes on motor vehicles 68

Division 3 Trailer braking systems

132 What brakes a trailer must have 69

133 Operation of brakes on trailers 69

134 Air or vacuum brakes on trailers 70

Division 4 Additional brake requirements for B‑doubles and long road trains

135 Application of Division to certain road trains 70

136 Braking system design for a prime mover in a B-double 70

137 Braking system design for motor vehicles in road trains 71

138 Braking system design for trailers in B-doubles or road trains 71

139 Air brakes of motor vehicles in B-doubles or road trains 71

140 Air brakes in a B-double or road train: least favoured chamber 72

141 Recovery of air pressure for brakes in B-doubles and road trains 72

142 Air supply for brakes in B-doubles and road trains 73

143 Brake line couplings 73

144 Simultaneous parking brake application 73

145 Capacity of air reservoirs 74

Part 10 Control of emissions

Division 1 Crank case gases and visible emissions

146 Crank case gases 74

147 Visible emissions 74

Division 2 Exhaust systems

148 Exhaust systems 74

Division 3 Noise emissions

149 Silencing device for exhaust systems 76

150 Stationary noise levels – car-type vehicles and motor bikes and trikes 76

151 Stationary noise levels – other vehicles with spark ignition engines 77

152 Stationary noise levels – other vehicles with diesel engines 78

153 Measurement of stationary noise levels 79

Part 11 Alternative fuel systems

Division 1 Definitions and application of number plate labels

154 Definitions 80

154A Meaning of electric-powered vehicle 80

154B Number plate labels 80

154C Number plate label affixed to one number plate 81

Division 2 Number plate labels for particular alternative fuel systems

154D LPG-powered vehicles 81

154E Vehicles powered by natural gas 82

154F Hydrogen-powered vehicle built on or after 1 January 2019 82

154G Hydrogen-powered vehicle built before 1 January 2019 82

154H Label requirements for hydrogen-powered vehicles 83

154J Electric-powered vehicles built on or after 1 January 2019 84

154K Electric-powered vehicles built before 1 January 2019 84

154L Label requirements for electric-powered vehicles 85

Part 12 Maximum road speed limiting

155 Speed limiting 87

156 Exemptions from speed limiting 87

Part 13 Mechanical connections between vehicles

Division 1 Couplings on all types of vehicles

157 General coupling requirements 88

158 Drawbar couplings 88

Division 2 Additional coupling requirements for B‑doubles and long road trains

159 Application of Division to road trains 89

160 Couplings for B-doubles and road trains 89

161 Selection of fifth wheel couplings for B-doubles and road trains 89

162 D-value of a fifth wheel coupling 90

163 Mounting of fifth wheel couplings on B-doubles and road trains 90

164 Branding of fifth wheel couplings and turntables on B‑doubles and road trains 90

165 Selection of kingpins for B-doubles and road trains 91

166 Attachment of kingpins on B-doubles and road trains 92

167 Branding of kingpins on B-doubles and road trains 92

168 Selection of couplings and drawbar eyes for road trains 93

169 Attachment of couplings and drawbar eyes on road trains 93

170 Branding of couplings and drawbar eyes on road trains 93

171 Tow coupling overhang on road trains 94

Part 14 Other matters

172 Vehicle equipment 95

173 Restored vehicles 95

174 Retractable axles 96

175 Measurement of distance between parallel lines 96

176 Interpretation of certain second edition ADRs 96

Dictionary