Towing mirror protrusion - regulation

Hi Norm

My understanding is that loads and so on excluding mirrors can protrude 150mm up to a maximum of 2.5 metres. This means the maximum width of a vehicle or trailer can only be 2.5metres without a permit.

Mirrors can extend more and for more info see this page.

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/registration/downloads/vsi/vsi18_rev2.pdf

Evan

Hello Mike,
WA traffic regulations state you must have mirrors, when towing a caravan, that allows you to see rear edges of that caravan. Therefore you must have mirrors that protrude greater than the width of your caravan – independent of the width of the motor vehicle.

G'day Norm,

These posts have been of interest to me as well - and this discussion has been documented in EO for years. But no answer to that question. What intrigues me is that there are plenty of big vehicles (eg buses) that have signs that say "if you can't see my mirrors then I can't see you".

I've gone camera and ausie truck mirrors and will try to apply common sense to what I think is the law. But as you no doubt appreciate the whole thing is subject to state vagaries and people's interpretation of that.

Hope someone has a better idea here!

Kind regards

Hello Norm

I don’t see what the problem is - I have mirrors on my motor vehicle that protrude about 100/150 each side of my caravan – they are very good for towing or reversing.

The following quote from a Qld government website puts it very clearly.

www.transport.qld.gov.au/resources/file/eb9bd54cb5099e4/Pdf_vehicle_standards_checklist.pdf

A rear vision mirror fitted to a motor vehicle with a GVM over 3.5t must not project over 150mm beyond the widest part, excluding lights, signalling devices and reflectors, of the vehicle or combination.

Norm
We have been towing caravans for many years with all sorts of mirrors.
We now tow a 18ft 6 full caravan with a Prado, with just the standard mirrors.
We also have a reversing camera on the back of the van set up so it is used as a rear view camera, the best thing you van have, beats any side mirrors.
Get a decent camera we have a Waeco with a large screen and wide angle, it covers to the sides of the van when the standard mirrors take over.
All extension mirrors vibrate so they are a pain in the bum, no problems with a camera.
Regards
Ted

Thanks for the responses. This area is so full of contradictions, I think all you can do is apply common sense and take any problems that arise as they occur.

My vehicle has a GVM over 3.5 T (3.7 to be exact - legal and certified). My mirrors protrude more than 150mm from the widest part of the vehicle WHEN IT WAS STANDARD. Since I added the canopy (wider than the cab), the standard mirrors were within the 150 limit of the canopy. But as I now tow a caravan (386mm wider than the canopy), to get reasonable vision, I have extended the mirrors further.

I have a camera on the back of the van - also on the back of the vehicle. But these look back - you also need to be able to see in the lanes beside on each side, so cameras do not entirely solve the problem.

I'm now happy that what I have set up is sensible and safe. But by the letter of the law, it might not be legal. But it all depends on interpretation.

I doubt that I will have a problem with the law, but it has been an interesting exercise.

Thanks for the responses.

Norm C

Further to the above. As I understand in Queensland at least if you are NOT TOWING YOUR VAN you must remove the wide mirrors as they then extend beyond the allowable limits of the car only.
Have been told you can get pinged for it but to get a Mr Plod out of a car to do it may work in your favour.

Quite a few around here just pull the extending bit out of Aussie Truck Mirrors and leave teh door fitting on.
Mine are rivetted together so always remove them