Making sure your vehicle stands out is very important. Especially if this is a vehicle driving on public roads that differs 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, avoiding unsafe situations.

Flashing lights are an excellent way to alert fellow road users to 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 alerted to the presence of a vehicle.

It's just not that you can use just any speedlight for this purpose. Flashlights on vehicles on public roads must have ECE R65 certification.

What is ECE R65?

European directive ECE REG 65 defines the requirements for optical and acoustic signals for vehicles and trailers. This regulation applies since March 1, 2014 to amber (orange-yellow) flashing, flashing and blinking lights for vehicles and trailers.

A permit is not required for such an amber flashing light. An ECE R65 strobe light may be used on motorized vehicles for:

• Providing roadside or roadside assistance;

• Work around, on or on roads, including snow removal and gritting of slippery roads;

• Emergency service, repairing, salvaging or towing vehicles;

• Transporting 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 at limited speed, or trailers pulled by these vehicles that are wider than 2.60 m incl. load.

EB7181A

Square flash lamp equipped with ECE R65 certification.

Visibility for fellow road users.

Thus, a strobe light must be ECE R65 certified 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 m. This may mean that for one vehicle, several flashing lights are required, for example, because the bodywork or load obscures the view of the lights.

In the situation on the left, the cab at the back of the vehicle obscures the view of the flash lamp 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 strobe light on the back of the vehicle.

Liable for inadequate signaling.

If an accident occurs with 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.