This is a subscriber-only article
Farmers and contractors are entering the busiest period of the year for tractor work. Therefore it is vital to ensure that tractors and trailers are road-legal and safe for the task.
A recent IFA trailer safety demonstration in Cahir Mart highlighted the main areas that farmers are failing on and where greater attention must be placed to ensure the safety of both farmers and other road users. While the revised standards for agricultural vehicles have been in effect since 1 January 2016, there are still many farmers who have not amended their agricultural vehicles and trailers to comply with the new standards.
Lighting
Poor lighting on agricultural vehicles can lead to serious road safety risks on public roads. The recent changes in legislation require flashing amber beacons to be fitted to all tractors and self-propelled agricultural machinery made since 1980. While this is generally not an issue with newer machinery, there are many farmers throughout the country who have still not retrospectively fitted their tractors with a flashing amber beacon, which highlights to other road users that it is a slow moving vehicle.
Garda inspector Eddie Golden highlighted that farmers should be doing daily inspections to ensure that the lighting on their machinery is working. Not only should the beacon be fitted, but it should also be constantly flashing when the vehicle is in use in a public place, both during the day and at night.
A guide on how to fit a flashing beacon was covered in the machinery section in the 2 March edition of the Irish Farmers Journal.
Visibility
The new regulations state that all agricultural trailers must be fitted with side lamps, rear lamps, stop lamps, indicators and number plate lighting. If the trailers have a declared gross vehicle weight of over 3,500kg, they must be fitted with reflective rear markings (picture 4).
If these trailers then form part of a combination of vehicles that is over 10m long, they must also have reflective markings on the side of the trailer. A “long vehicle” marking must also be fitted to agricultural trailers forming part of a combination over 13m long.
Plating
A manufacturer’s plate must be fitted to an agricultural tractor with an authorisation plate required to be fitted to an agricultural trailer in line with revised regulations. Authorisation plates will contain information such as the manufacturer’s name, a vehicle identification number, the maximum design speed and permitted laden weight and the maximum drawbar loading, among other information.
Listen to more road safety advice for farm machinery from Garda inspector Eamon Raleigh:
Listen to "Garda inspector Eammon Raleigh on machinery safety" on Spreaker.
The manufacturer’s plate will contain similar information while also identifying the permissible axle loads and permissible towable weights of a tractor.
While newer machinery will predominantly have these already fitted, some older models will require such plates to be retrofitted. This only applies to agricultural tractors first registered before 1 January 2016 if the tractor is designed to travel at speeds in excess of 40km/h. It also applies if the tractor is being used to draw either a tandem or triaxle rigid drawbar agricultural trailer with a loaded weight of over 19t for a tandem or 22.5t for a triaxle. Trailers manufactured before 1 January 2016 will not require retrofitting of plates unless they are the trailers described in the previous sentence.
Speed rating
All new agricultural tractors, self-propelled agricultural machinery and agricultural trailers from 1 January 2016 require speed discs. Only tractors and trailers before this period capable by design of travelling at speeds over 40km/h must be retrofitted with a speed disc.
Weights
According to inspector Golden, a lot of farmers are concerned about their licence and whether they are covered to tow cattle trailers behind jeeps. He stressed that farmers towing livestock trailers will require an EB licence which will allow a farmer to carry between 3,500kg to 7,000kg. The normal B licence is only designed for a two wheel trailer up to 3,500kg maximum weight.
“It is vital to not only know the permissible weight of the trailer but also the towing capacity of the jeep itself which can be found on the plate of the vehicle. If you are towing a trailer that is over weight for the type of vehicle you’re using then you are probably putting yourself at risk as your braking efficiency is not going to be the same, coupled with putting extra strain on the suspension of the vehicle which has not been designed for that,” said inspector Golden.
Weight limits have also been introduced for rigid drawbar unbalanced trailers which are: a maximum of 13t for a single axle, 19t for a tandem axle and 22.5t for a triaxle. Braking requirements have also been revised, with trailers capable of being towed at speeds over 40km/h requiring specialist breaking systems. They must be fitted with a pneumatic air braking system along with a breakaway brake to automatically stop the trailer if it becomes detached while moving. Trailers capable of travelling at speeds in excess of 60km/h must also be equipped with an anti-lock braking system. More information may be obtained from www.rsa.ie.
Old trailers
Inspector Golden was also concerned about the number of old homemade trailers that are still in use. Some older trailers were welded together from truck axles and girders which were designed at a time when there was not much regulation.
Golden warned that they may not be safe or road-legal. Alterations to these trailers may not be economical, which may mean it is time to retire these older trailers.
Failure to comply with the revised lighting and visibility standards may result in a fixed charge fine of €60 if paid within 28 days or a €90 fine if paid within a further 28 days. However, you could receive a summons to court where, upon conviction, you could be fined up to €2,500, given a prison sentence or both.
Listen: Ignorance is no excuse when it comes to trailer laws – gardaí
SHARING OPTIONS: