A Heavy Vehicle Rule aimed at ensuring the safety of heavy vehicles on our roads has been given the green light, the Minister for Transport Safety Harry Duynhoven announced today.

“Vehicle defects cause or contribute to between 6% and 13% of the total number of crashes involving heavy vehicles,” Mr Duynhoven said.

“The Heavy Vehicles Rule clarifies and updates the safety requirements for heavy vehicles making it easier to comply with the requirements, as well as encouraging compliance and improving safety.”

“The Heavy Vehicles Rule applies to all 125,000 heavy vehicles in the New Zealand fleet, however, the new requirements will only affect a small proportion – approximately 6% of the heavy vehicle fleet,” Mr Duynhoven said.

The Rule has been subject to extensive consultation involving heavy vehicle industry groups and the public and contains three new provisions:

Equipment locking devices: The rule clarifies that to be safe, sliding axle-sets, sliding chassis and the outriggers on swivelling cranes, must have an effective locking device. Outriggers must also have an alarm to alert the driver if it is not locked properly.

Truck Trailer Manufacturers’ Federation-coded (TTMF-coded) drawbeams and drawbars: The rule requires TTMF-coded drawbeams and drawbars (the last of which was certified in 1989) to be withdrawn from service within 18 months of the rule taking effect, unless they can be re-certified to the New Zealand Standard 5446: Heavy Motor Vehicle Towing Connections: Drawbar Trailers.

Electrical requirements (applies to all heavy vehicles): The rule specifies safety requirements based on the current industry practice for electrical requirements. This is already widely complied with.

“The new rule, which comes into force in April 2005, is another step towards delivering on the Road Safety to 2010 commitment of improving heavy vehicle safety,” Mr Duynhoven said.