Direction indicatorsĪ trailer first registered in New Zealand on or after 1 April 2012 must be fitted with one or two pairs of rear direction indicator lamps.Ī trailer first registered in New Zealand before 1 April 2012 must be fitted with one or two pairs of rear direction indicator lamps if its construction, equipment or loading prevents following drivers from seeing an arm signal given by the driver of the towing vehicle.Ī trailer may be fitted with one or two pairs of front direction indicators. It is important that the white light doesn't dazzle following drivers or confuse them about which way the trailer is facing.
#Trailer breakaway cable laws registration#
The letters and numbers on the trailer registration plate must be lit by a white light. The trailer must have at least two rear red reflectors fitted, one on each side.
Stop lampsĪ trailer first registered in New Zealand on or after 1 April 2012 must be fitted with one or two pairs of stop lamps.Ī trailer first registered in New Zealand before 1 April 2012 must be fitted with one or two pairs of stop lamps if its construction, equipment or loading prevents following drivers from seeing an arm signal given by the driver of the towing vehicle. If the trailer was first registered after 1 January 1978 and is more than 1.5 metres wide, it must have two rear-facing position lamps fitted.Ī trailer may have a maximum of two pairs of rear-facing position lamps. Rear position lamps (‘tail lights’)Ī trailer must have at least one red rear-facing position lamp. Lights Front position lamps (‘side lights’)Ī trailer that is more than two metres wide, or extends more than one metre from the centre of the vehicle on either side must have one pair of front position lamps.Īny other trailer may have one or two front position lamps, but if only one is fitted it must be fitted on the side of the vehicle closest to the middle of the road. What your trailer must have Your trailer must display: Note: Remember that a car, utility vehicle or light van is not permitted to tow more than one trailer or vehicle. If the trailer is equipped with brakes, it may be possible to safely tow a trailer heavier than three quarters of the unladen weight of the towing vehicle, but the seven metres from 30km/h brake performance requirement still applies. This combination can be expected to have double the stopping distance of the towing vehicle alone, and even a towing vehicle with good brakes is likely to fail the legal brake performance requirement of seven metres from 30km/h. To illustrate the increase in stopping distance when towing an unbraked trailer, consider a trailer with a laden weight equal to the weight of the towing vehicle. A trailer heavier than this may prevent the vehicle combination from meeting the seven metre from 30km/h brake performance requirement. The Transport Agency recommends, as a guide, that the laden weight of an unbraked trailer should not exceed three quarters of the unladen weight of the towing vehicle and then only if the towing vehicle's brakes and tyres are in excellent condition.
In effect, this means that the maximum allowable weight of an unbraked trailer is limited by the weight and braking ability of the vehicle being used to tow it. In addition to the requirements above, the law requires that every light vehicle and trailer combination must be capable of stopping within a distance of seven metres from a speed of 30km/h. Although the law does not require these tow ratings to be followed, the NZ Transport Agency recommends that they be taken into account. Most vehicles have tow ratings given to them by the manufacturer specifying the gross trailer weight braked, unbraked, or both, that the vehicle can safely tow. Loads overhanging the vehicle or trailer.Loading your vehicle and trailer safely.This guide contains detailed advice on loading and towing practices to keep you within the law and protect you, your goods and others on the road. Guide to safe loading and towing for light vehiclesĪbout two people a year are killed and five are seriously injured in crashes where the trailer was recorded as being the main contributing factor.
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