New South Wales Consolidated Regulations New South Wales Consolidated RegulationsA class 1 heavy vehicle that is not carrying goods must be kept at its smallest practicable dimensions, with any booms fully retracted.
(1) A class 1 heavy vehicle that, together with its load, is wider than 2.5m or longer than 25m must have--(a) a warning sign attached to the front of the vehicle; and(b) a warning sign attached to the rear of the vehicle or, if a load projects from the rear of the vehicle, to the rear of the load; and(c) 4 brightly coloured red, red and yellow, or yellow flags, each at least 450mm by 450mm, fixed as follows--(i) a flag must be attached at each side of the front of the vehicle or, if a load projects from the front of the vehicle, at each side of the front of the load;(ii) a flag must be fixed at each side of the rear of the vehicle or, if a load projects from the rear of the vehicle, at each side of the rear of the load; and(d) if a load projects beyond a side of the vehicle--2 brightly coloured red, red and yellow, or yellow flags, each at least 450mm by 450mm, attached to the front and rear of each projecting side of the load at the outermost points.
(2) A class 1 heavy vehicle that, together with its load, is not wider than 2.5m, and whose length is more than 22m but not more than 25m, must have a warning sign attached to the rear of the vehicle or, if a load projects from the rear of the vehicle, to the rear of the load.
(3) Subsections (1) and (2) do not apply to--(a) a heavy vehicle used in connection with the construction of a road and travelling within 1km of the relevant construction site, if a warning light is attached to the vehicle; or(b) a tractor; or(c) a rigid mobile crane less than 3.1m wide.
(4) In this section--
"construction" , of a road, includes repair or maintenance of the road.
(1) If a load projects more than 150mm beyond a side of a class 1 heavy vehicle, and the projection is less than 500mm thick from top to bottom--(a) a warning light must be attached to the vehicle; and(b) 2 delineators must be attached to the projection in the way stated in subsection (2) on each side of the vehicle on which the load projects more than 150mm.
(2) For subsection (1)(b), the delineators must be attached in the following way on each side of the vehicle on which the load projects more than 150mm--(a) at least 1 delineator must be attached to the front of the projection and at least 1 delineator must be attached to the rear of the projection;(b) a delineator attached to the front of the projection must be attached so that its reflective surface is facing forward of the vehicle;(c) a delineator attached to the rear of the projection must be attached so that its reflective surface is facing rearward from the vehicle.
(3) In this section--
"delineator" means a yellow, rigid piece of material commonly known as a 'delineator' that--(a) is at least 300mm long and at least 300mm wide; and(b) complies with class 1, 2, 400 or 100 of the version of AS/NZS 1906 'Retroreflective materials and devices for road traffic control purposes' applying to the delineator at the delineator's date of manufacture.
If a class 1 heavy vehicle is, together with any load, wider than 3m, a warning light must be attached to the vehicle while it is being used in the daytime.
(1) If a class 1 heavy vehicle that is an oversize vehicle is being used at night--(a) side markers must be displayed--(i) not more than 2m apart along the total length of each side of the vehicle and any load projecting from the front or rear of the vehicle; and(ii) at each corner of any load projecting from the front or rear of the vehicle; and(b) 2 rear markers must be fitted to the rear of any load projecting from the rear of the vehicle, within 400mm of each side of the load and at least 1m but not more than 2.1m above the ground; and(c) a warning light must be attached to the vehicle if it, together with any load, is wider than 2.5m or longer than 22m.
(2) In this section--
"rear markers" means red lights known as 'rear markers'.
"side markers" means lights showing yellow to the front and red to the rear and known as 'side markers'.
(1) This section applies to a class 1 heavy vehicle that is an oversize vehicle, or the towing vehicle of a class 1 heavy vehicle that is an oversize vehicle, that is required to have headlights under the Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) National Regulation (NSW) >.
(2) The class 1 heavy vehicle, or the towing vehicle, must have its low-beam headlights on while it is being used in the daytime.
(3) In this section--
"low-beam" , for a headlight fitted to a heavy vehicle, has the meaning it has for the purposes of the Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) National Regulation (NSW) >.
A class 1 heavy vehicle that, together with any load, is wider than 3.1m or longer than 22m, must not, while being used at night--
(a) travel outside an urban area; or
(b) travel in an urban area without being accompanied by a pilot vehicle.
(1) A class 1 heavy vehicle must not begin to travel if, due to circumstances such as fog, heavy rain, smoke, dust or insect plague--(a) visibility is less than 250m in the daytime; or(b) the headlights of a vehicle approaching within 250m could not be seen at night.
(2) If a class 1 heavy vehicle is already travelling when visibility is reduced to the level mentioned in subsection (1), the vehicle's driver must drive the vehicle into the nearest safe parking area and wait until visibility improves beyond that level before continuing to travel.
(3) In this section--
"safe parking area" , for a class 1 heavy vehicle, means an area at which vehicles of that kind may be parked lawfully and safely.
(1) The person driving a class 1 heavy vehicle that is an oversize vehicle must drive at least 200m behind another oversize vehicle travelling in front of it, unless the person is--(a) driving on--(i) a multi-lane road; or(ii) a length of road in a built-up area; or(b) overtaking.
(2) In this section--
"built-up area" has the meaning it has for the purposes of the Road Rules.
"multi-lane road" has the meaning it has for the purposes of the Road Rules.
(1) This section applies if a class 1 heavy vehicle is being driven on a road, or a part of a road, that does not have a separate lane for overtaking vehicles.
(2) The person driving the class 1 heavy vehicle must, at regular intervals and to the extent reasonably practicable, move the vehicle off the road to allow other vehicles to overtake it.
(1) Before a class 1 heavy vehicle is driven along any route, its driver and operator must be satisfied that the route has been assessed and that the vehicle can be driven along it without contravening subsection (2).
(2) A class 1 heavy vehicle must not be driven along a route if to do so would be likely to cause--(a) disruption to telecommunication, electricity, rail, gas, water or sewage services (
"relevant services" ); or(b) damage to a road (including a bridge), structure, rail crossing or tree (
"relevant property" ).
(3) Subsection (2) does not apply if the entity responsible for the relevant services or relevant property has given permission for the vehicle to travel along the route, and the vehicle is driven in accordance with the permission.
(4) To remove any doubt, it is declared that a mass or dimension exemption is not permission for the purpose of subsection (3).
(1) This Division applies only to a class 1 heavy vehicle that is a load-carrying vehicle.
(2) A reference in this Division to a load-carrying vehicle is taken to be a reference to a load-carrying vehicle that is a class 1 heavy vehicle.
(1) A load-carrying vehicle must not carry more than 1 large indivisible item unless--(a) the vehicle together with its load complies with the general mass limits; and(b) the vehicle carrying more than 1 large indivisible item does not cause the vehicle together with its load to exceed a prescribed dimension requirement that would not be exceeded if the vehicle carried only 1 of the large indivisible items.
(2) A load-carrying vehicle carrying 1 or more large indivisible items must not carry any other goods unless--(a) the vehicle together with its load complies with the general mass limits; and(b) the other goods are contained within the limits set by the prescribed dimension requirements.
(3) Despite subsection (2), a load-carrying vehicle carrying a special purpose vehicle or agricultural vehicle may also carry equipment, tools, substances or detached parts to be used in conjunction with the vehicle being carried.
(4) In this section--
"large indivisible item" has the meaning it has under section 116(4) of the Law.
An unladen low loader must not be towed in a combination with a low loader dolly unless--
(a) the combination is 2.5m wide or less; and
(b) it would be unreasonable to require the dolly to be loaded onto the low loader because of the short distance to be travelled, or special difficulties in loading or unloading the dolly due to the nature of the location where the loading or unloading is to take place.
(1) This Division applies only to a class 1 heavy vehicle that is a special purpose vehicle.
(2) A reference in this Division to a special purpose vehicle is taken to be a reference to a special purpose vehicle that is a class 1 heavy vehicle.
(1) When travelling at night, a special purpose vehicle with a projection extending more than 1.2m in front of the vehicle must have a yellow light fixed on each side of the projection.
(2) The light must be--(a) fixed as far forward as possible, and shielded from the driver's view; and(b) visible to any traffic approaching the vehicle from its front; and(c) visible to any traffic approaching the vehicle from the side on which it is fixed.
(1) A rear marking plate must be fitted to the rearmost part of the body of a special purpose vehicle.
(2) A warning pattern must be displayed on the left and right sides of any rigid projection extending more than 1.2m in front of the body of a special purpose vehicle.
(3) In this section--
"rear marking plate" means a plate that--(a) warns other road users that the vehicle to which the plate is attached is an oversize vehicle; and(b) complies with the ' VSB 12--National Code of Practice--Rear Marking Plates ' published by the Regulator.Note--: A copy of the ' VSB 12--National Code of Practice--Rear Marking Plates ' is available on the Regulator's website at www.nhvr.gov.au.
A special purpose vehicle must not tow a vehicle.
(1) This Division applies only to a class 1 heavy vehicle that is an agricultural vehicle or agricultural combination.
(2) A reference in this Division to an agricultural vehicle or agricultural combination is taken to be a reference to an agricultural vehicle or agricultural combination that is a class 1 heavy vehicle.
(1) An agricultural vehicle or agricultural combination wider than 2.5m, or an agricultural combination longer than 22m, must have a warning light attached to its highest practicable point when it is on a major road.
(2) A warning sign must be attached to the rear of an agricultural implement being towed by a tractor.
(3) A warning pattern must be displayed at the sides of the rear of any auger, conveyor, or the reaping implement of a combine harvester.
(4) Any part of an axle extending more than 150mm from the outside wall of a tractor's tyre must be painted fluorescent yellow or have yellow fluorescent or other high-visibility material wrapped around it.
(5) In this section--
"combine harvester" means an agricultural vehicle that simultaneously performs operations of reaping, threshing and winnowing grain crops.
(1) An agricultural vehicle or agricultural combination wider than 3.7m but not wider than 4.5m must be accompanied by at least 1 pilot vehicle if--(a) any part of the terrain in which it is being used limits a clear view of approaching traffic to less than 500m; or(b) it is being used on a major road.
(2) An agricultural vehicle or agricultural combination wider than 4.5m--(a) must be accompanied by at least 1 pilot vehicle unless paragraph (b) applies; and(b) must be accompanied by at least 2 pilot vehicles if--(i) any part of the terrain in which it is being used limits a clear view of approaching traffic to less than 500m; or(ii) it is being used on a major road.
(3) Despite subsections (1) and (2), an agricultural vehicle or agricultural combination does not have to be accompanied by a pilot vehicle if it is travelling less than 500m.
(1) An agricultural vehicle or agricultural combination must not be used on a freeway.
(2) In this section--
"freeway" has the meaning it has for the purposes of the Road Rules.
An agricultural implement must not carry goods or passengers.
An agricultural implement without brakes must not be towed by a vehicle at a speed greater than the lesser of the following--
(a) 20km/hr less than the speed limit applying to the vehicle under the Road Rules;
(b) 50km/hr.
(1) This Division--(a) applies if, under a condition in Divisions 1 to 4, a class 1 heavy vehicle must be accompanied by a pilot vehicle or escort vehicle; and(b) prescribes requirements about the pilot vehicle or escort vehicle or its operation.
(2) A reference in this Division to a pilot vehicle or escort vehicle is taken to be a reference to a pilot vehicle or escort vehicle accompanying a class 1 heavy vehicle under a condition in Divisions 1 to 4.
(1) A pilot vehicle must have at least 4 wheels and a GVM of--(a) no more than 4.5t unless paragraph (b) applies; or(b) if the pilot vehicle is the rear pilot vehicle of 2 pilot vehicles that are required to accompany a class 1 heavy vehicle--no more than 6.5t.
(2) A pilot vehicle must have a warning sign attached to its roof.
(3) A pilot vehicle must only have a warning light attached--(a) above or below the warning sign; or(b) at each side of the warning sign.
(1) An escort vehicle must have--(a) at least 4 wheels; and(b) a GVM of 4.5t or less; and(c) 1 or 2 warning lights on its roof.
(2) If the vehicle is a police vehicle or transport enforcement vehicle, the warning light, instead of flashing yellow, may flash a colour that a light on the roof of an exempt vehicle is required or permitted to be under section 79 of Schedule 2 of the Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) National Regulation (NSW) >.
(3) This section does not apply to an escort vehicle that is a motor cycle driven by a police officer in the course of the officer's duty.
(1) The low-beam headlights on a pilot vehicle or escort vehicle must be switched on when it is accompanying a class 1 heavy vehicle during the daytime.
(2) In this section--
"low-beam" , for a headlight fitted to a pilot vehicle or escort vehicle, has the meaning it has--(a) if the pilot vehicle or escort vehicle is a heavy vehicle--in section 4 of the Heavy Vehicle (Vehicle Standards) National Regulation (NSW) >; or(b) otherwise--for the purposes of the provisions of the light vehicle standards prescribing requirements about the headlights of the vehicle.
A pilot vehicle or escort vehicle must not tow a trailer or carry goods, but it may carry equipment or substances for use in connection with the class 1 heavy vehicle it is accompanying or for restraining a load on that heavy vehicle.
(1) If 1 pilot vehicle accompanies a class 1 heavy vehicle, the pilot vehicle must travel--(a) behind the heavy vehicle if they are on a divided road; or(b) in front of the heavy vehicle if they are on a road that is not divided.
(2) If 2 pilot vehicles accompany a class 1 heavy vehicle, 1 pilot vehicle must travel in front of the heavy vehicle, and the other behind it.
(3) A pilot vehicle must travel far enough away from the class 1 heavy vehicle it is accompanying to give adequate warning to other road users of the presence of the heavy vehicle, taking into account traffic speed, weather, visibility and other driving conditions.
(1) A class 1 heavy vehicle and any accompanying pilot vehicle or escort vehicle must have a device that allows the drivers to communicate effectively with each other.
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply--(a) if the class 1 heavy vehicle is--(i) an agricultural machine; or(ii) a heavy combination that includes an agricultural machine; or(b) in relation to a class 1 heavy vehicle accompanied by an escort vehicle that is a police vehicle.
(1) This Part applies only to a class 1 heavy vehicle that is a special purpose vehicle.
(2) A reference in this Part to a special purpose vehicle is taken to be a reference to a special purpose vehicle that is a class 1 heavy vehicle.
(1) A special purpose vehicle must not tow a vehicle.
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to a crane towing a single trailer if--(a) the crane has no more than 5 axles; and(b) the load on the trailer includes only equipment required for the normal operation of the crane; and(c) the swept path of the combination consisting of the crane and trailer turning a corner is not greater than what the swept path of the crane alone turning a corner would be.
(1) This Division--(a) applies if a class 1 heavy vehicle, or a pilot vehicle or escort vehicle accompanying a class 1 heavy vehicle, must have 1 or more warning lights on it under a condition of the mass or dimension exemption under which the class 1 heavy vehicle is being used; andNote--: Part 1 prescribes conditions about warning lights for class 1 heavy vehicles, or pilot vehicles or escort vehicles accompanying class 1 heavy vehicles, being used under a mass or dimension exemption granted by Commonwealth Gazette notice.(b) prescribes requirements about the warning lights.
(2) A reference in this Division to a pilot vehicle or escort vehicle is taken to be a reference to a pilot vehicle or escort vehicle accompanying a class 1 heavy vehicle.
(1) A warning light attached to a class 1 heavy vehicle, pilot vehicle or escort vehicle, when switched on, must--(a) emit a yellow coloured light of rotating and flashing effect; and(b) flash between 120 and 200 times a minute; and(c) have a power of at least--(i) if LED technology is used--24W; or(ii) if another technology is used--55W; and(d) not be a strobe light.
(2) However, subsection (1) does not apply to a warning light that--(a) is attached to an escort vehicle that is a police vehicle or transport enforcement vehicle; and(b) complies with the requirements of the light vehicle standards for lights attached to a vehicle of that kind.
(1) A warning light attached to a class 1 heavy vehicle, pilot vehicle or escort vehicle must be--(a) clearly visible at a distance of 500m in all directions; or(b) supplemented by 1 or more additional warning lights so that the light emanating from at least 1 of them is clearly visible at a distance of 500m in any direction.
(2) However, for a pilot vehicle travelling in front of a class 1 heavy vehicle, a filter may be placed behind the warning light attached to the pilot vehicle to reduce the intensity of the light directed to the driver of the heavy vehicle.
The switch for a warning light attached to a class 1 heavy vehicle, pilot vehicle or escort vehicle must be within easy reach of the driver in the normal driving position in the vehicle.
(1) A warning light attached to a class 1 heavy vehicle must only be switched on when the heavy vehicle is travelling, or is stationary in a position that is likely to cause danger to other road users.
(2) A warning light attached to a pilot vehicle or escort vehicle must be switched on when the vehicle is travelling and accompanying a class 1 heavy vehicle.
(1) This Division--(a) applies if a class 1 heavy vehicle, or a pilot vehicle accompanying a class 1 heavy vehicle, must have 1 or more warning signs on it under a condition of the mass or dimension exemption under which the class 1 heavy vehicle is being used; andNote--: Part 1 prescribes conditions about warning signs for class 1 heavy vehicles, or pilot vehicles accompanying class 1 heavy vehicles, being used under a mass or dimension exemption granted by Commonwealth Gazette notice.(b) prescribes requirements about the warning signs.
(2) A reference in this Division to a pilot vehicle is taken to be a reference to a pilot vehicle accompanying a class 1 heavy vehicle.
This Subdivision applies to both warning signs required to be on a class 1 heavy vehicle and warning signs required to be on a pilot vehicle accompanying a class 1 heavy vehicle.
The face of a warning sign on a class 1 heavy vehicle or pilot vehicle must have--
(a) a yellow surface complying with class 1, 2, 400 or 100 of the version of AS/NZS 1906 'Retroreflective materials and devices for road traffic control purposes' applying to the warning sign at the sign's date of manufacture; and
(b) a black border that is at least 20mm wide and, unless the sign has been made with a box edge, whose outermost edge is at least 10mm in from the edge of the sign; and
(c) its manufacturer's name or trademark, and the brand and class of material used for the warning sign's surface, permanently marked in letters at least 3mm but no more than 10mm high--(i) for a class 1 heavy vehicle--on any visible part of the sign; or(ii) for a pilot vehicle--on any visible part of the sign other than a bottom corner.
A warning sign on a class 1 heavy vehicle or pilot vehicle must--
(a) be manufactured from a material appropriate to its intended use on the vehicle; and
(b) be fitted so that the sign is unlikely to become dislocated or furl; and
(c) be displayed so that the entire sign is clearly visible; and
(d) be maintained so that it can be easily read by other road users.
This Subdivision applies only to warning signs required to be on a class 1 heavy vehicle.
(1) A warning sign on a class 1 heavy vehicle must be at least 1200mm long and at least 450mm high.
(2) The length of a warning sign on a class 1 heavy vehicle may be split into 2 parts, in which case the combined length of its parts must be at least 1200mm.
(1) A warning sign on a class 1 heavy vehicle must show the word 'OVERSIZE', in black capital letters, and in typeface Series C(N) complying with AS 1744 'Forms of Letters and Numerals for Road Signs' .Note--: AS 1744 'Forms of Letters and Numerals for Road Signs' may be purchased from Standards Australia at.
(2) The letters must be--(a) at least 200mm high; and(b) at least 125mm from the top and bottom of the warning sign.
(3) If the length of the warning sign is split into 2 parts--(a) the part fitted on the left must show the word 'OVER' and the part fitted on the right must show the word 'SIZE'; and(b) there must be no border between the 2 parts, despite section 41(b).
Example of a warning sign for an oversize vehicle or combination--:
(1) A warning sign on a class 1 heavy vehicle must be fitted horizontally.
(2) The lower edge of the warning sign must be--(a) above the bottom of the bumper bar; or(b) if there is no bumper bar--at least 500mm above ground level.
(3) If the length of the warning sign is split into 2 parts, each part must be fitted at the same height as the other.
This Subdivision applies only to warning signs required to be on a pilot vehicle accompanying a class 1 heavy vehicle.
(1) A warning sign on a pilot vehicle must be at least 1200mm long and at least 600mm high.
(2) The warning sign may have bottom corner cut-outs not more than 150mm wide and not more than 100mm high if they are needed for fitting the warning sign to the pilot vehicle.
(1) Both faces of a warning sign on a pilot vehicle must show--(a) the word 'OVERSIZE', in black capital letters at least 200mm high, and complying with AS 1744 'Forms of Letters and Numerals for Road Signs' , in typeface Series C(N); and(b) the words 'LOAD AHEAD', in black capital letters at least 100mm high, and complying with AS 1744 'Forms of Letters and Numerals for Road Signs' , in typeface Series D(N).Note--: AS 1744 'Forms of Letters and Numerals for Road Signs' may be purchased from Standards Australia at.
(2) The bottom of the letters of the word 'OVERSIZE' must be at least 300mm from the bottom of the warning sign.
(3) The bottom of the letters of the words 'LOAD AHEAD' must be at least 100mm from the bottom of the warning sign.
Example of a warning sign for a pilot vehicle--:
A warning sign on a pilot vehicle must not lean back so that there is more than 200mm measured horizontally from the top of the sign to a vertical line running through the bottom of the sign.
Example--:
