Retrofitting of mirrors to heavy goods vehicles

SUMMARY OF:

Directive 2007/38/EC on the retrofitting of mirrors to heavy goods vehicles registered in the EU

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE DIRECTIVE?

The directive sets out rules for the retrofitting of rear-view mirrors to commercial vehicles designed to carry goods weighing more than 3.5 tonnes and registered after 1 January 2000.

This is principally to improve safety for other road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists, who are particularly exposed to dangers arising from the lateral blind spot which lorries have on the passenger side.

KEY POINTS

From 6 August 2007 and no later than 31 March 2009, all goods vehicles in the EU designed to carry more than 3.5 tonnes (category N₂ and N₃) must be retrofitted on the passenger side with class IV (wide-angle) and class V (close-proximity) mirrors.

The directive is a temporary measure that applies to vehicles registered after 1 January 2000 and that is aimed at improving the field of indirect vision for vehicles not covered by the new vehicle rules in Regulation (EC) No 661/2009.

The directive does not apply directly, but requires national governments to pass legislation making the mirrors mandatory.

Exceptions

Vehicles already equipped on the passenger side with mirrors covering at least 95% of the field of vision of a class IV mirror, at ground level, and at least 85% of the field of vision of a class V mirror are deemed to already be complying with the legislation.
Vehicles which, for economic or technical reasons, cannot be equipped with mirrors complying with these requirements may be equipped with supplementary mirrors or other devices for indirect vision, such as cameras, provided that the combination of these devices meets the requirements.
Vehicles designed to carry less than 7.5 tonnes and where it is impossible to mount a class V mirror more than 2 m from the ground, when the vehicle is under maximum load, and where it would not be fully visible from the driving position are not covered.
Vehicles that are covered by national measures with similar minimum requirements and that came into force before the current legislation’s date of incorporation into national law are exempt.

EU countries must communicate a list of technical solutions to the European Commission, which then makes the information publicly available. It is the Commission’s responsibility, through the relevant committees, to ensure that equipment is installed and tested to verify compliance and roadworthiness.

FROM WHEN DOES THIS DIRECTIVE APPLY?

It has applied since 3 August 2007. It had to become law in the EU countries by 6 August 2008.

BACKGROUND

For more information, see:

‘Blind-spot mirrors’ (European Commission).

MAIN DOCUMENT

Directive 2007/38/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 July 2007 on the retrofitting of mirrors to heavy goods vehicles registered in the Community (OJ L 184, 14.7.2007, pp. 25-28)