Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) National Regulation

A direction indicator light fitted to a heavy motor vehicle must—

when operating, display regular flashes of light at a rate of—

for a heavy motor vehicle with 4 or more wheels—at least 60 but not more than 120 flashes per minute; or

for another heavy motor vehicle—at least 45 but not more than 120 flashes per minute; and

be able to be operated from the normal driving position by the vehicle’s driver; and

be wired to an audible or visible device in the vehicle that tells the driver in the normal driving position that the direction indicator light is operating; and

flash at the same time and rate as any other direction indicator lights fitted on the same side of the vehicle.

A direction indicator light fitted to a side of a heavy trailer must, when operating, flash at the same time and rate as the direction indicator light or lights fitted to the same side of the towing vehicle.

The flashes of light displayed by a direction indicator light fitted to a heavy vehicle must be—

for a light facing forwards—white or yellow; or

for a light facing backwards—

yellow; or

if the vehicle was built before July 1973—red or yellow; and

for a light facing out from the side of the vehicle—

white or yellow towards the front and side; and

if the vehicle was built before July 1973—red or yellow towards the rear and side; and

if the vehicle was built after June 1973—yellow towards the rear and side.

Note—The third edition ADRs only allow yellow direction indicator lights.

If a heavy motor vehicle’s direction indicator lights display only yellow light, the vehicle may be equipped to allow the lights to operate simultaneously on both sides of the vehicle, if an audible or visible signal tells the driver in the normal driving position when the lights are operating simultaneously.

When on, a direction indicator light fitted to a heavy vehicle must be visible 30m from—

for a light facing forwards—the front of the vehicle; or

for a light facing backwards—the rear of the vehicle; or

for a light facing out from the side of the vehicle—that side of the vehicle.

When on, each direction indicator light in at least 1 pair of lights fitted on or towards the front of a heavy vehicle that is a prime mover or a heavy motor vehicle longer than 7.5m, must be visible at a point—

1.5m at right angles from the side of the vehicle where the light is fitted; and

in line with the rear of the vehicle.