Agricultural journalist, smallholder and Editor of the Ferguson Heritage Magazine, Jane Brooks, touches on lighting rules for agricultural machinery…
We may be coming out of the winter months, but that’s no reason not to heed the Agricultural Engineers Association’s advice to users of agricultural machinery to ensure they understand the rules regarding vehicle lighting and that vehicles used on the road comply with the rules. It’s also a good idea for buyers to check anything they purchase meets the requirements as well.
The AEA says, “Where they are required, Amber Warning Beacons are a useful aid to warn other road users of approaching hazards, but agricultural vehicles are increasingly being fitted with inappropriate unidirectional, amber flashing lights. These only emit light in one direction and are not permitted on the road under the vehicle lighting regulations, although they can be used off road.
“As well as not being legal, unidirectional flashing amber lights can be dangerous due to potential confusion with and/or distraction from direction indicators. They are often brighter than the direction indicators and are sometimes fitted at a similar level. This can make it difficult for other drivers to see the direction indicators. Confusion of that kind has been a contributing factor in at least one fatal accident involving an agricultural vehicle.”
INSTALLATION & USE OF AMBER WARNING BEACONS ON AGRICULTURAL VEHICLES
At least one warning beacon. must be installed & used: On any ‘slow’ motor vehicle (max speed ≤ 25 mph) or trailer drawn by it, when used on an unrestricted dual-carriageway road. The ‘motor vehicle’ must have four or more wheels. Amber warning beacons may also be used by any vehicle being used in connection with the escort of any vehicle, whilst travelling at a speed of ≤25mph and when it’s necessary or desirable to warn persons of the presence of the vehicle or a hazard on the road, both of which circumstances could often apply to agricultural vehicles.
Picture caption: The AEA have reminded agricultural dealers and manufacturers that any Amber Warning Beacons fitted on the vehicles they manufacture, sell or service should meet the requirements of the legislation
This article extract was taken from the Spring 2024 edition of The Country Smallholder. To read the article in full, you can buy the issue here.
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