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Broken-down vehicles, 1
Page 39
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by Les Oldridge, T. Eng (C El), MIMI, AMIRTE I GET more inquiries about the law concerning the towing of broken-down vehicles than I do on any other single subject. This is not surprising, as the regulations on this topic are complex and spread over several different Acts and regulations. It, was two years ago that I last dealt with this aspect of the law and having had several inquiries from readers just recently, I feel it might be helpful to look, once again, Et this subject.
Section 190 of the Road Traffic Act 1972 defines the various types of road ve-licles and it is necessary, for reasons which will become apparent later, for these defini• ions, which are set out below, to be understood.
Heavy locomotive. Thi 3 is a motor vehicle, the un aden weight of which exceeds 11.7 tonnes (111/2 tons) which is not itself constructed to carry load. It is the hauling vehi( le as opposed to the carrying o Light locomotive. This is the same as the heavy locoi )otive but it is between 7.4 an( 11.7 tonnes (71/4 and 111/2 tor s) unladen weight.
Motor tractor: as fcthe locomotive class, but bel( N 7.4 tonnes (71/4 tons).
Heavy motor car: a +, )hicle over 3.04 tonnes (3 tor a) unladen weight construe ed to carry a load.
Motor car: as for a hea\o motor car but under 3.04 ton les (3 tons) unladen weight.
Trailer means a vehicle irawn by a motor vehicle.
From the last definitior it will be seen that when a notor vehicle is being towed it becomes a trailer so all the egulations concerning trailer must be observed. When an irtic is being towed, it must be onsidered as two trailers, the .active unit being one and thi semitrai er the other.
Regulation 137 of tht Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1978 details the number of trailers which may be drawn: locomotives, three; motor tractors, one if laden, or two, if unladen; motor car or heavy motor car, one.
The same Regulation, however, states that an articulated vehicle which has broken down, may, provided it is unladen, be treated as a single trailer. It makes a further concession by stating that where a vehicle is being towed with the aid of an "ambulance" or "tow-boy" and the towing vehicle is a motor car or a heavy motor car, the combination may be treated as one trailer if the towed vehicle rests on, or is suspended from, the towing implement. To summarise: (a) Only locomotives may tow loaded artics.
(b) Heavy motor cars, motor cars and tractors may only tow artics if the artic is unladen.
(c) Motor cars and heavy motor cars may draw two trailers if one of the trailers is a towing implement and the other is a vehicle suspended or resting on the towing implement.
The total length of vehicles and trailers is limited by the C and U Regulations. Regulation 73 gives the maximum length of trailers as 7 metres (23 feet) and
in some special cases to 12 metres (39 feet 41/2 inches) but
special exemption is made for broken-down vehicles being towed in consequence of the breakdown, so we need not worry about the limitation stipulated by this regulation.
Regulation 136 gives the overall permitted length of a vehicle and one trailer as 18 metres (59 feet), but again an exemption to this rule is made for trailers which are, in fact, broken-down vehicles, so there is no restriction on the length of a breakdown lorry towing a rigid-type vehicle which has broken down.
Where a vehicle is drawing two or more trailers, ie where an artic is being towed, the overall length of the towing vehicle must not exceed 9.2 metres (30 feet 2 inches) and the overall length of the combination of vehicles must not exceed 25.9 metres (almost 85 feet), unless certain irksome conditions with which the breakdown man is unlikely to be able to comply with are observed. This does not appear to be a serious drawback, however, as most combinations of vehicles will fall within the maximum permitted length, as will be seen from the following figures.
The maximum permitted length of an artic is 15 metres (49 feet 21/2 inches) (Regulation 9, C and U regulations). Assuming that a breakdown vehicle of the maximum permitted length (9.2 metres) is drawing a maximum-length artic, the combined length of the two vehicles is 9.2 metres + 15 metres which equals 24.2 metres. This leaves 25.9 minus 24.2 metres, equals 1.7 metres (5 feet 6 inches) for the drawbar, chain or rope. This is not very long for a drawbar but in most cases the breakdown vehicle will have a fairly short wheelbase which will make its length much less than the 9.2 metres maximum, which will permit the use of a longer drawbar than the 1.7 metres referred to.
The recovery of a brokendown lorry and drawbar trailer operating at the maximum per,mitted length of 18 metres (59 feet) needs consideration. Here we have the maximum permitted length of the combination of vehicles 25.9 metres minus the 18 metres rigid drawbar-type combination, which leave us with 7.9 metres for the breakdown lorry and drawbar. If this length is exceeded, then the trailer must be uncoupled and the lorry towed on its own.
While dealing with drawbars, it might be as well to consider the maximum permitted length between the towing vehicle and the one which has broken down. When a rope or chain is used, the distance between the two vehicles must not exceed 4.5 metres (14 feet 7 inches). With other means of attachment no maximum distance is laid down, but the distance must be such that no danger is caused.
If the distance between the two vehicles exceeds 1.5 metres (4 feet 9 in) irrespective of whether a rope, chain or rigid drawbar is used, the means of attachment must be rendered clearly visible. Nothing is said as to how this should be done, but painting a drawbar a bright colour or with black and yellow stripes, or tying a red rag to a rope or chain seems to be the sensible way of complying with this requirement More about recovery work in the next article.