26.02.2021
NEW REGULATION, NEW WARNING STICKERS
A new directive has been issued by the French Ministry for ecological and solidary transition, following many accidents and deaths of vulnerable road users (cyclists, pedestrians, personal mobility device users).
This directive defines the conditions for use and the model of new warning stickers that indicate visibility blind spots on vehicles for which the total authorised loaded weight exceeds 3.5 tons.
The application of this directive is mandatory and it will come into force, in France, on 1st January 2021. It will be included in the French Highway Code obligations (Highway Code article 313-1, initiated by article 55 of Law N° 2019-1428 of 24th December 2019 - Mobility Orientation). There will be no postponement and no transition phase is planned.
Thus, all vehicles already in circulation, and all new vehicles, must have these stickers. We have therefore decided to include these new stickers in our current product range, in the additional bodywork accessories line.
STICKER AFFIXING CONDITIONS
Article 1 of the directive stipulates that “Any vehicle defined in article R.313-32-1 of the Highway Code shall bear indicator markings showing the vehicle’s visibility blind spots, due to its specific characteristics, in compliance with the defined model.”
The directive stipulates the following rules of application:
- A truck shall have 3 stickers:
- 2 stickers on the first metre at the front of the vehicle, i.e. 1 on the left and 1 on the right, at a height between 0.90 m and 1.50 m above ground.
- 1 on the vehicle rear face, on the right-hand side, at a height between 0.90 m and 1.50 m above ground.
- A truck with trailer shall have 6 stickers:
On the truck and on the trailer
- 2 stickers on the first metre at the front of the vehicle, excluding glazed surfaces, i.e. 1 on the left and 1 on the right, at a height between 0.90 m and 1.50 m above ground.
- 1 on the rear face, on the right-hand side of the longitudinal axis, at a height between 0.90 m and 1.50 m above ground.
- A semi-trailer shall have 6 stickers:
3 on the hauler and 3 on the articulated trailer.
- On the hauler: 2 stickers on the first metre at the front of the vehicle, i.e. 1 on the left and 1 on the right, at a height between 0.90 m and 1.50 m above ground, and 1 on the right-hand side of the rear face of the hauler cab.
- On the articulated trailer: 2 stickers on the first metre at the front of the trailer, aft of the vehicle coupling pivot, i.e. 1 on the left and 1 on the right, at a height between 0.90 m and 1.50 m above ground, and 1 on the rear face, on the right-hand side of the longitudinal axis, at a height between 0.90 m and 1.50 m above ground.
- A bus shall have 3 stickers:
- 2 stickers on the first metre at the front of the vehicle, i.e. 1 on the left and 1 on the right, at a height between 0.90 m and 1.50 m above ground.
- 1 on the vehicle rear face, on the right-hand side, at a height between 0.90 m and 1.50 m above ground.
POSITIONING EXCEPTIONS
- Article 3 stipulates that “Buses and articulated coaches, as defined in 1.8 of R 311-1 of the Highway Code, shall have additional stickers indicating blind spots on each section of the articulated vehicle. These stickers shall be affixed on the first metre at the front of the section, excluding glazed surfaces, on the left and on the right, at a height between 0.90 m and 1.50 m above ground.”
- “In exception to article 2, vehicles with more than 2 doors shall only have stickers on the most forward door on each side of the vehicle.”
- “Powered vehicles and towed vehicles, for which it is technically impossible to meet the height above ground requirement for the stickers, shall have stickers positioned at a height as close as possible to that stipulated in article 2, with a maximum height limit of 2.10 metres.”
- “Vehicles with a direct vision system in the lower part of the doors, or with glazed doors, shall have stickers positioned at a distance from the front of the overall vehicle length as close as possible to that stipulated in article 2 of the directive, with a maximum distance limit of 3 metres.”
- “The rear sticker positioning requirement shall not be applicable to powered vehicles or towed vehicles on which it is technically impossible:
- container carriers
- car transport vehicles
- haulers of articulated rigs
- tanker trucks
- platform trucks
- removable dumper truck arms
- dollies
“These vehicles shall have stickers on their rear face, positioned in compliance with their technical configuration. The lateral sticker positioning requirement shall not be applicable to towed vehicles on which it is technically impossible.”
Find below the product sheets: