With so many work vehicles out and about with flashing lights, you may be beginning to wonder if you need amber flashing lights on your company’s vehicles. In Australia, the use of flashing lights is restricted and regulated by the state and federal governments. We know that fire, police, and ambulances use blue and red flashing lights, and anyone else who uses them on their vehicle will be in trouble, but what about amber flashing lights? Who can use them, when, and where? Well, let’s look.
Regulations
Amber flashing lights are not as strict as red or blue ones; however, they can’t just be used willy-nilly. Under the right circumstances, any vehicle can use an amber flashing light, whether a municipal, company or private vehicle. After all, all our cars are fitted with hazard lights – amber flashing lights that tell other drivers that we have broken down and stopped in a hazardous place. We don’t use them when we park in the driveway or a carpark, but only when our vehicle is causing a hazard to others. The use of amber flashing lights on commercial and government vehicles is the same; used to warn of a hazard.
Vehicles
It is most common to see amber flashing lights on:
- Roadwork and construction vehicles
- Tow trucks
- Street sweepers
- Garbage trucks
- School buses
- Trucks carrying oversized loads and their escort/pilot vehicles
- Elevated platforms
- Mobile cranes
- And other frequently stopping vehicles that are a hazard to normal functioning.
So, if your vehicle’s use falls into any of the above categories, then there’s a good chance you’ll have to install amber flashing lights. It’s best to check the laws in your area to ensure you don’t face a fine, or worse, by not complying.
Types of lights
Most light beacons are made with LEDs these days. This is due to LEDs’ low maintenance, long life, and versatility. They can come as beacons, strobes, flashing, continuous shapes or letters, and more. The size, position, power source, flashing style, and colour are all regulated when it comes to the type of light you put on your vehicles. So, getting expert advice is a good idea. We recommend speaking to your local council and going through a reputable team like RS. An amber flashing light doesn’t give your vehicle the right of way or allow you to disobey the road rules, but they are a part of the road rules and regulations.
If your work vehicles cause a hazard to pedestrians or other vehicles, then there’s a good chance you may need to fit amber flashing lights to them. Their use is regulated and governed, so ensure you’re doing the right thing and get the right type, fitted in the correct place, and help keep a quality safety record for your company. With amber flashing lights and RS, safety will be your thing.