#Reflective tape on car legal driver#

It must be no closer to the road surface than 15 inches or higher than 60 inches above the road. The alternating red and white sheeting must be applied horizontally on each side of the trailer. Trailers affected by these regulations are those that are at least 80 inches or more in width and have a GVWR over 10,000 pounds. Two strips mounted horizontally as far as practicable to the uppermost outer right and left edges of the cab and two strips mounted vertically as far as practicable to the top outermost right and left edges of the cab.

In the later case, no more than 25% may be obscured by other vehicle equipment.Īlso on rear of the tractor, four strips of white sheeting, each at least one foot in length. If your truck has no mudflaps or brackets, the strips of tape must be fastened to the fenders, and if there are no fenders or mudflap brackets, the strips must be fastened to the rear of the cab. This means a two foot strip on each mudflap support bracket, on plates attached to the support brackets or on the mudflaps.

Two strips of red and white sheeting, each not less than 2 feet in length, must be fastened as close as practicable to the rear and the outer edges of the tractor. The specific requirements are as follows: Trailers must be reflectorized with alternating red and white reflective tape on the sides, bottom of doors and the ICC bar also, two pieces of white tape must be on each upper rear corner. Simply speaking, tractors require alternating red and white tape on the mudflap brackets and white reflective tape on the upper rear corners of the cab. Conspicuity sheeting is sold in truck stops and service centers and is often referred to as “Conspicuity Tape”, “Conspicuity Reflective Tape”, “Truck Reflective Tape” or “Reflexite Conspicuity tape” The letters DOT-C2 ( 2”), DOT-C3 ( 3”), or DOT-C4 ( 4”), as appropriate, must appear at least once on the exposed surface of each white or red segment of retroreflective sheeting, and at least once every 12 inches on retroreflective sheeting that is white only. Each strip of sheeting must be not less than 2 inches wide. The conspicuity treatments discussed here are either “retroreflective sheeting” ( white strips of vinyl tape or red and white strips of vinyl tape) or similarly colored “reflex reflectors” ( plastic reflectors, commonly with adhesive backing). The regulations also discuss dimensions in millimeters, so I’ve converted them to nearest inch for ease of understanding. These regulations cover trailers manufactured on or after and the necessity to retrofit trailers built before that date, and truck tractors built on or after. These references are not particularly reader friendly, so I will summarize here so you can use the information to ensure you are compliant.

#Reflective tape on car legal driver#

At the present time, a roadside inspection that reveals a failure to comply with conspicuity sheeting regulations could subject a driver to three CSA severity weight points and have an impact on their carrier’s safety rating.Įverything a driver needs to know is contained in Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, §393.11(b) and in its cross reference of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. The absence, inadequacy, or inappropriate placement of reflective tape can attract attention that could lead to a level I inspection. It is the responsibility of each driver to ensure proper markings are on their trucks and trailers. These are known as “conspicuity treatments” that the FMCSA regulations require on trailers and the rear of truck tractors.

A quick glance around any truckstop parking lot will soon reveal the absence, inadequacy or inappropriate placement of the white or red and white reflective tape.