ECE R65 legislation: when do you comply with it

Making sure your vehicle stands out is very important.
Especially if this is a vehicle driving on public roads that stands out from other traffic because of its shape, size or speed.

Fellow road users who see such a vehicle well in advance can adjust their driving behavior accordingly, thus avoiding unsafe situations.

Flashing lights are an excellent way to warn fellow road users of the presence of a vehicle.
Work on the road, roadside maintenance or special transport are just a few examples of situations where fellow road users need to be warned of the presence of a vehicle.

It’s just not that you can use just any flashlight for this purpose.
Flashlights on vehicles on public roads must be ECE R65 certified.

What is ECE R65?

European directive ECE REG 65 defines the requirements for optical and acoustic signals for vehicles and trailers.
This requirement has applied to amber (orange-yellow) flashing, strobe and blinker lights for vehicles and trailers since March 1, 2014.

No permit is required for such an amber flashlight.
An ECE R65 flashing light may be used on motorized vehicles for:

• Providing roadside or roadside assistance;
• Work around, on or about roads, including snow removal and gritting of slippery roads;
• Emergency services, repair, salvage or towing of vehicles;
• Carrying an indivisible load for which an exemption has been granted;
• Escorting transports for which an exemption has been granted;
• Escorting military columns;
• Agricultural, forestry, or off-road work driving with limited speed, or trailers towed by these vehicles wider than 2.60 m incl.
  load.

Visibility for fellow road users.

So a strobe light must be ECE R65 certified in order to be used on the above mentioned vehicles in the above mentioned work.
But that alone does not make you comply with the ECE R65 directive.

This is because the light signal must be visible from a distance of 20 meters around the vehicle, at a height of 1.50 meters.
This may mean that a single vehicle may require several flashing lights, for example, because the bodywork or load obscures the view of the lights.

In the situation on the left, the cab on the back of the vehicle obscures the view of the strobe light mounted on the cab at the front.
As a result, the light behind the vehicle cannot be seen.
Thus, it is necessary in this case to mount an additional flash lamp on the back of the vehicle.

Liable for inadequate signaling.

If an accident occurs involving a vehicle that was not equipped with signage or was inadequately equipped with signage, even though it is required by law, the owner of the vehicle may be held legally liable.