External projections

2-1 External projections

Certifier categories: All

Reasons for rejection

1. A component of a motor vehicle, including a damaged, corroded or exposed body panel, is such that it may:

a) hook a vehicle, or

b) hook or graze a person.

2. An ornamental object or fitting (Note 2) protrudes in such a way that it is:

a) likely to injure a person, or

b) affects the driver’s vision or control.

3. A protruding object or fitting that has a functional purpose (Note 3):

a) is of excessively heavy construction for the purpose for which it has been fitted, or

b) has sharp corners, or

c) slopes forward, unless this is necessary to fit the contours of the vehicle, or

d) has an unnecessarily wide gap between the object or fitting and the front of the vehicle, or

e) exceeds the vehicle’s width by more than 100 mm on either side, other than side mounted glass sheet transport racks and collapsible side mirrors, or

f) is a glass sheet transport rack that is not fitted with a front fairing to minimise the risk of injury to a person.

Note 1

External projections is not a certifiable aspect in itself, but compliance with the requirements in this chapter should be taken into account when designing other modifications.

Note 2

Ornamental object or fitting means an object or fitting that does not have a practical purpose, for example bonnet emblems. The external projections requirements relate to the design and maintenance of objects and fittings that protrude from the exterior of the motor vehicle with regard to the safety of other motor vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists.

Note 3

Functional object or fitting means an object or fitting that has a practical purpose, for example bullbars, winches, spare wheel carriers, glass racks and so on.

Note 4

Modify means to change a vehicle from its original state by altering, substituting, adding or removing any structure, system, component or equipment, but does not include repair.

Note 5

Repair means to restore a damaged or worn vehicle, its structure, systems, components or equipment to within safe tolerance of its condition when manufactured, including replacement with equivalent undamaged or new structures, systems, components or equipment.

Summary of legislation

Applicable legislation
General safety requirements (section 2.2)

1. An ornamental object or fitting must not protrude from a motor vehicle if the object or fitting is likely to injure a person.

2. A protruding object or fitting that has a functional purpose must, if installed and operated on a motor vehicle that is operated on a road, be such that the risk of the object or fitting causing injury to a person is minimised.

3. A protruding object or fitting must not adversely affect driver vision or driver control.

4. Components of a motor vehicle, including damaged or corroded body panels, must be such that the risk of their hooking a vehicle, or hooking or grazing a person, is minimised.

5. In assessing whether requirements 1 to 4 above are complied with, an HV certifier may take into account evidence that the external projections are within the motor vehicle manufacturer’s operating limits.

Modification and repair (section 3)
Modification (section 3.1)

6. A modification to a motor vehicle that affects an external projection:

a) must not prevent the vehicle from complying with this rule, and

b) must be certified as specified in Land Transport Rule: Vehicle Standards Compliance 2002.

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