Contents

Objective of the Rule

Extent of consultation

Section 1     Application

• 1.1     Title
• 1.2     Date when Rule comes into force

Section 2     Amendments to Rule requirements

• 2.1     Fitting and performance requirements for stop lamps
• 2.2     Fitting and performance requirements for direction-indicator lamps
• 2.3     Fitting requirements for beacons

Section 3     Amendment to definitions

• 3.1     Insertion of definitions

Objective of the Rule

Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Lighting Amendment 2009 amends Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Lighting 2004 (the Rule), which sets out the requirements for lighting equipment that is fitted to a vehicle, to allow the vehicle to be operated safely under all driving conditions and not endanger the safety of other road users.

The objectives of this amendment to Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Lighting 2004 are:

• •   to accept one stop lamp for trailers registered in New Zealand before 1 January 1978;
• •   to require unclassified motor vehicles to have a specified number of forward-facing direction-indicator lamps, but taking into account the more relaxed requirements for tractors in the earlier Traffic Regulations 1976;
• •   to extend the current permissive clause for front indicators to rear ones as well as to improve the safety of the affected vehicles;
• •   to amend safety requirements for direction-indicator lamps; and
• •   to allow customs officers, fishery officers, and marine reserve rangers, who have the power to require others to stop, to operate vehicles fitted with one or more blue beacons.

Extent of consultation

For the purposes of consultation, amendments proposed to Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Lighting 2004 and eleven other Land Transport Rules were combined into a single draft Rule, Land Transport Rule: Omnibus Amendment 2008 (the Omnibus Amendment Rule).

On 19 August 2008, the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) sent details of the amendment proposals by letter or email to approximately 1500 groups and individuals who had registered an interest in the Rules to be amended. The draft Omnibus Amendment Rule was made available through the NZTA Contact Centre and, together with Questions and Answers, was also available on the NZTA website. The availability of the draft for comment was publicised in the metropolitan daily newspapers in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin and in the New Zealand Gazette. The NZTA received 24 submissions on the draft Omnibus Amendment Rule, of which eight commented on the proposed requirements in this Rule.

Following consultation, the provisions in the draft Omnibus Amendment Rule were split into 12 separate amendment Rules, including this Rule. The submissions that were received were taken into account in drafting this amendment Rule before it was submitted to the Minister of Transport for signing.

Section 1     Application

1.1     Title

1.1(1)     This Rule is Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Lighting Amendment 2009.

1.1(2)     This Rule amends Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Lighting 2004.

1.2     Date when Rule comes into force

This Rule comes into force on 7 May 2009.

Section 2     Amendments to Rule requirements

2.1     Fitting and performance requirements for stop lamps

Clause 4.3 is amended by substituting the following subclause for subclause 4.3(7):

• “4.3(7)   A motor vehicle of Group T (other than one in Schedule 3) must be fitted with the following stop lamps at the rear of the vehicle if the vehicle's construction, equipment or loading prevents either the stop-lamp signals of the towing vehicle, or arm signals given by the driver of the towing vehicle, from being seen from behind the vehicle combination:
  • “(a)   one lamp or one or two pairs of lamps if the vehicle was registered in New Zealand before 1 January 1978;
  • “(b)   one or two pairs of lamps if the vehicle was registered in New Zealand on or after 1 January 1978.”

2.2     Fitting and performance requirements for direction-indicator lamps

2.2(1)     Clause 6.3 is amended by inserting the following subclause:

• “6.3(6A)   An unclassified motor vehicle (other than one in Schedule 3, or a forklift) may be fitted with two or four forward-facing direction-indicator lamps.”

2.2(2)     Subclause 6.3(8) is amended by inserting the words “and in 6.3(6)” after the words “in 6.3(5)”.

2.2(3)     Subclause 6.3(17) is amended by inserting the words “unless the approved vehicle standard applicable to direction-indicator lamps does not require such a device” after the word “device”.

2.3     Fitting requirements for beacons

Clause 11.2 is amended by inserting the following subclause:

• “11.2(7)   The following vehicles may be fitted with one or more blue beacons:
  • “(a)   a vehicle operated by a Customs officer pursuant to section 144 of the Customs and Excise Act 1996;
  • “(b)   a vehicle operated by a fishery officer pursuant to section 199 of the Fisheries Act 1996;
  • “(c)   a vehicle operated by a ranger pursuant to section 18 of the Marine Reserves Act 1971.”

Section 3     Amendments to definitions

3.1     Insertion of definitions

Part 2 is amended by inserting the following definitions in the appropriate places:

• “Customs officer has the same meaning as in section 2 of the Customs and Excise Act 1996.”
• “Fishery officer has the same meaning as in section 2 of the Fisheries Act 1996.”
• “Ranger has the same meaning as in section 2 of the Marine Reserves Act 1971.”