Following research studies in Europe and the USA which demonstrated the road safety benefits of conspicuity marking, requirements on the mandatory fitment of conspicuity markings to trucks with a GVW exceeding 7500 kg and trailers with a GVW exceeding 3500 kg were introduced into the UN ECE Regulation on the installation of lighting and light signalling devices, ECE 48, by the 03 series of amendments.
Obviously, the fitment of "contour" conspicuity marking to trucks and trailers equipped with simple box bodies is fairly straightforward. However, commercial vehicles and their trailers are fitted with a wide variety of different body types and the fitment of "contour" conspicuity marking to some of these body types (e.g. tankers, car transporters, low loaders, etc.) is not quite so simple. For that reason, the original conspicuity marking installation requirements introduced by the 03 series of amendments to ECE 48 contained some specific provisions and relaxations to cater for vehicles where the shape, structure, design or operational requirements made it impossible to install the mandatory contour marking, even permitting a simple line marking instead of contour marking in some cases.
Experience gained in applying these original conspicuity marking installation requirements by the relevant Technical Services and Approval Authorities has shown that they are lacking in clarity and provide too much scope for interpretation. Therefore, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN ECE) have recently published a Supplement 5 to ECE Regulation No. 48.03 to clarify and more accurately define the installation requirements for conspicuity markings on heavy trucks and their trailers.
The revised requirements introduced by Supplement 5 to ECE 48.03, which came into force on 9th December 2010, are intended to:
- Describe the exemptions, exceptions and relaxations more clearly to ensure that they applied uniformly by all Technical Services and Approval Authorities.
- Provide a hierarchic process which Technical Services and Approval Authorities can follow to determine which exemptions, exceptions and relaxations are applicable to a given vehicle.
- Ensure that information and justification for the application of any exemptions, exceptions and relaxations is included in the type approval certificate.