Spot Lights and Light Bar Regulations

Here is some initial information but the official rules on positioning will follow:

Light Bars‘I can put light bars on the top of my bullbar, can’t I?’

INCORRECT

LED light bars need to be correctly located on your vehicle. On the top of your bullbar is not the correct spot.

In addition to the mandatory headlights, a maximum of four driving lights may be fitted as optional accessories to a light vehicle. LED light bars are considered to be one lamp if all LEDs in the bar operate together.

Driving lights can be fitted above the roof line, but they must be fitted to the front half of the vehicle, when measured from the front to the rearmost point of the vehicle.

LED light bars can not be fitted to the top of a bullbars or nudge bars. They must not be used in a manner that will dazzle another driver and they must be wired to a switch to only turn on or off with high beam headlights.

If your vehicle is fitted with LEDs or spotlights as optional extras, please make sure you comply otherwise you may incur a fine of $117 and one demerit point.



This is the Federal Regulation on Lighting. It tells you EVERYTHING but will take 15 minutes to go through. Still looking for the simplified diagram info.

www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2009C00579

On light bars for heavy vehicles.
Driving Lamps
(including Light Emitting Diode (LED) Light Bars)
Purpose
This guide provides advice for vehicle owners and modifiers, of the vehicle standard requirements when
attaching LED light bars to a heavy vehicle for use as a driving lamp.
Introduction
Driving lamps (additional lights fitted to a vehicle that are used as extra highbeam headlights) are
common accessory lights fitted to vehicles. Driving lamps fitted to heavy vehicles have traditionally been
spot lights, however due to changes in technology the use of LED light bars as driving lamps is common.
Changes made to the Australian Design Rules (ADRs) allow for single driving lamps to be fitted, rather
than needing to fit lamps in pairs. While this change has made it easier to fit LED light bars and other
driving lamps, it is still important to make sure that driving lamps are correctly fitted to a heavy vehicle.
The fitment of driving lamps to a heavy vehicle is a minor modification and does not require approval
from an Approved Vehicle Examiner (AVE) or the NHVR. The vehicle must continue to be within the
manufacturer’s specifications and comply with the national heavy vehicle standards.
Further information about AVEs and heavy vehicle modifications can be found at
www.nhvr.gov.au/hvmodifications
Requirements for fitting and using driving lamps, including LED Light Bars
• The lamp/s must be fitted to the front of the vehicle, symmetrically about the centre.
• The lamp/s must be installed in a way that the light produced does not cause the driver of the
vehicle discomfort either directly or by reflection.
• The lamp/s must only come on when the main-beam (high beam) headlamps are used, and must
automatically turn off when the main-beam headlamps are turned off.
• No more than four (4) driving lamps may be fitted to a vehicle.
Number of Lamps
An LED light bar is considered to be one lamp if all of the LEDs operate together.
If an LED has different parts or sections that can be switched on or off independent of other parts
(sometimes referred to as being switchable) then each independently controlled section counts as a lamp

It certainly is a bag of worms this subject. I wanted to fit driving lights on my bull bar where the tabs are provided and they are below the top of the bar so should be legal. I went for our rego check and was knocked back on the condition of the reflective chrome inside the halogen head lights. These on Lorry are the rectangular shape so I went to my auto electrician who suggested he could buy the same shape lights but are full LED replacements. This was actually a cheaper option to buy as well. So I bought a set of 4 as that is how many it takes and once I spent a couple of nights setting the height right I found I had no need for driving lights.
Then I had a set of LED driving lights given to me off a roll over truck so they will be fitted one day soon. But to cap off the topic of optional lights I was going to fit a small light bar to the load board facing rearwards. Technically this is illegal, no white light can face rearwards. Asked 2 RMS guys on the side of the road and they got into anargument as to yes or no so if they could not agree how are we suppose to know? Even a letter to the RMS and our State politician who forwarded it onto the relevant Minister could not give a straight forward reply. Next time your out on the highway look at how prime movers have spot or driving lights facing rearwards and they dont get booked on it.

Rear facing lights can be "work lights" and switched independently of other lights. Most of the livestock carriers have a spot attached to the mirror to help with backing up to load ramps at unlit farms. Don't know but could have a connection via reversing light?

We started using LED light bars a few years ago on the rally car. I can tell you of the absolute consternation, confusion, and hand wringing bureaucratic idiocy that went into CAMS/Vicroads allowing us to use it. The "roads department" representative (who I thought complete brown suit if there ever was one) decided that these lights WERE NOT ALLOWED as they wern't TWO FORWARD FACING LIGHTS. The controversy was mind boggling- to the point where the rally scrutineer actually came up and unplugged the LED light bar on the car before allowing the car into the special stage.. Never mind the obvious safety benefits of better lights in the bush at night. Never mind that we'd read all the ADR's, and they didn't really say anything about it. As if it mattered for gods sake, they are only on high beam anyway, THAT matters, but not if it's single or double- you can't tell whats coming at you- one, two or TEN lights from a little way away anyway. They eventually tried to tell us to put a little piece of tape on the middle of the light bar to make a small "gap" in the light.....
So eventually they caved in, but man, you'd think you'd robbed a bank and stolen their first born child.
There is still a lot of misinformation out there, usually because some roadside officer (who hasn't got a clue really) says this or that isn't allowed to old mate- who then tells his mate, and on it goes, until it becomes fact by default...
Similar sort of story with club regos, trade plates, permits, in fact anything where the bureacracies are allowed to tell us what to doand we are expected to believe it. (Coronavirus anyone?)
But AFAIK, there are ADR'S / rules to cover "other light" like rearward facing, different color lights, and so on.
Cheers!
Rich

This is the full story on ALL lighting including side lights, cabin roof lights etc. After the boxes each lighting system is explained very clearly. Another print-out and keep sheet.

www.legislation.gov.au/Details/F2013C00238

Standard authorised colour for recognition of particular vehicles. Any vehicle not specifically listed is prohibited from using coloured or white flashing, rotating or alternating lights without individual approval.

Ambulances, A blue or red light
Police vehicles, A blue or red light
Fire fighting vehicles, A blue or red light
Fire brigade emergency site command vehicle – A green light

Mines rescue or other rescue vehicles, A vehicle used by an accredited rescue unit (within the meaning of the State Emergency and Rescue Management Act 1989 ) – A blue or red light

A mines rescue or other rescue vehicle – A red light

Red Cross vehicles used for conveyance of blood for urgent transfusions, A red light
Public utility service vehicles, A yellow light
Tow-trucks, A yellow light
Motor breakdown service vehicles, A yellow light
Vehicles used for the delivery of milk that are required to stop at frequent intervals, A yellow light
Buses used solely or principally for the conveyance of children to or from school, A yellow light
Vehicles exceeding the length, width and height limits of this Schedule, A yellow light
Vehicles frequently used to transport loads that exceed the maximum length, width and height limits of this Schedule, A yellow light
Vehicles used to escort vehicles referred to in paragraph (k) or (l), A yellow light
Vehicles used by the Authority, Traffic commander or Traffic Emergency patroler – A blue or red light.
Other vehicles used by the authority – A crimson light

Vehicles used by an employee of a council of a local government area for the purposes of enforcing excess weight limits legislation, A crimson light
State Emergency Service vehicles, A blue or red light
An emergency vehicle within the meaning of the Road Rules 2014 (other than those identified above) – A red light
Such other vehicles as are approved by the Authority.

The one confusing Issue I see here in the West is the definition and lighting for an Emergency vehicle that you have to slow to 40 K's when passing. RAC patrol vehicles and tow trucks are covered by this but use Amber lights, problem being every other bloke and his dog with work vehicles use amber as well. You get a clown sitting off the side of the Freeway making a phone call with his lights flashing but is not an emergency vehicle what are you supposed to do? Emergency vehicles need to be easily identified as such and separate
from the run of the mill work vehicles

I think anyone not listed using lights can be booked. This includes mine, construction, wide-load and pilot vehicles when off-site or not actually doing the job for which the lights are authorised.

It is not unheard of for police to be reprimanded or otherwise punished for using their lights say at the last minute to just get through a red at the intersection (we have all seen this) while only on a routine mission.

A very common thing now and compulsory in some clubs is for vintage and veteran cars to carry one of those very bright bicycle flashing red lights on the back. It is such a good idea I think a magistrate would throw out any charge of illegal lighting. It needs to be put into legislation.

lang

I see a lot of trucks and smaller work vehicles travelling with their amber beacon on.

I've never heard of anyone being booked for it.

I know when I started doing escort work (the truck type) I was warned about ensuring the lights were only used when actually doing an escort. Same as the oversize sign comes down as soon as the job is done.

Personally I think there should be big fines for unauthorised use of lights. It is the boy crying wolf and the public gets immune to so many lights (particularly orange) that they discount or even ignore them.

The tow truck blokes are generally very good. Apart from being in more dangerous situations beside speeding traffic than even the police they turn their lights on and off strictly according to the situation. I think the police have cracked down on the empty flashing tow truck illegally speeding to get to the accident first. I remember in the old dog-eat-dog days the tow truck blokes drove like crazy people to get there first then had a punch-up with the other blokes or even the car owners to get their hook on the wreck.

I think the change in ambulances and fire trucks few years back to all having blue and red the same as the police was a good move. The social pygmies who failed to instantly co-operate now do so because they are not sure it is not a police car that will book them. People are definitely getting better at allowing emergency vehicles through lines of traffic.

Lang