Full Width Vehicle Lightbars - Lightbars, Warning

Lightbars: the rules for NZ roads

Lightbars are a professional style of beacon typically used by pilot vehicles for overdimension loads, house removals, emergency vehicles, recovery vehicles, airport follow-me vehicles etc.The same requirements apply as for smaller beacons.

Only certain vehicles are permitted to use beacons—here is an overview of the requirements and recommendations for road vehicles on NZ highways:

Beacons required:

Equipment and vehicles used in 'mobile operations' on highways or road reserves must be fitted with one, and preferably two, amber beacons. Examples of mobile operations are: kerbside refuse collections, inspections, installing or removing pavement markers, mowing and weed spraying, marker post maintenance, litter and debris pick-up, pothole repairs, snow clearing/spreading grit, events held on public roads, surveying, monitoring traffic counts; and road construction activities such as rolling, grading, road marking, water carts and drag brooming.

Agricultural vehicles registered after 1 June 2013 must display and operate one or more amber beacons visible from the front and rear at distances of at least 100 metres. If the vehicle has a trailer or an implement that obscures the beacon, the trailer or implement also needs to be fitted with a beacon.

An overdimension motor vehicle must be fitted with an amber beacon so that it is visible to approaching traffic and the beacon must operate:
- during the hours of darkness, if the vehicle (including any load) is 3.7 m in width or less
- at all times, if the vehicle (including any load) exceeds 3.7 m in width
- at all times, if the vehicle is being escorted by a pilot vehicle
A pilot vehicle must be fitted with amber, or amber and purple beacons. A leading pilot vehicle can use an amber beacon for loads up to 5m wide. Amber and purple (sometimes called magenta) beacons are required if the load is greater than 5m wide). The next pilot vehicle should have an amber beacon with a sign that says 'wide load follows'.

Emergency vehicles (fire engines, recognised ambulance services, including military fire and ambulance services, and Civil Defence) may be fitted with one or more red beacons and one or more white forward-facing beacons.

Vehicles operating in airports and sea ports must display amber lights.

Only police vehicles may use red and blue combined beacons.

Beacons recommended:

A vehicle recovery service vehicle may be fitted with one or two amber beacons
A vehicle operated in accordance with a traffic management plan approved by a road controlling authority may be fitted with one or two amber beacons
Where it is necessary to warn road users of a hazard due to the vehicle being stationary or being driven slowly, or to warn of activity in the vicinity (eg construction sites or other utility vehicles), the vehicle may be fitted with one or two amber beacons.
An emergency vehicle operated by an enforcement officer, including customs officers, fishery officers, and marine reserve rangers, may be fitted with one or more blue beacons
A motor vehicle operated by a registered medical practitioner or a registered nurse or registered midwife may be fitted with one green beacon
Amber beacons are permitted on Surf Life Saving rescue vehicles.

Off-highway uses for beacons:

Apart from highway safety, warning beacons can be used:

To give warning of equipment such as forklifts, loaders or diggers—especially if operating near personnel
To warn of potential hazards from factory equipment
To notify site conditions or evacuations
To attract attention at public events, trade displays etc.

This information is provided in good faith to give an overview of current NZ legislation. Check the legislation here, NZTA’s requirements here, requirements for on-road use of agricultural vehicles here, COPTTM’s requirements here and here, requirements for overdimension vehicles here, requirements for flash patterns and light output on page 78 here.