Why are light boards not legal for most trailers.

[@outdooradventures92]

I have never once seen a boat trailer board with reverse lights. If what your saying is true why does nobody bring it up when there doing there trailer checks on motorways

[@TowingAndTrailersLtd]

Hi The main purpose of this KZbin channel is to to try and inform road users of laws and safety with trailers as well as keeping their trailer roadworthy and legal. Laws for trailers are there but not many road users are made aware of these. Most of the lighting laws came about in the 80's and early 90's the reverse lights came in with approvals that were spread between 2009 when documentation was made and 2014 when the final trailers needed approving. This was done in stages. These approvals are what is needed to put a trailer on the road. The simplest way of approving a single trailer is through IVA (Individual Vehicle Approval) Like a kit car. Trailers are class O1, O2, O3 & O4 . there is an inspection manual that will tell you what a trailer needs to pass. you can find it @ www.towingandtrailers.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/individual-vehicle-approval-inspection-manual-trailers.pdf or by googling IVA Manual for trailers all the lighting requirements are on this document from page 59 - 77 Reverse lamps are pages 75 - 77 Page 76 shows a table with requirements for reversing lamps (1-2 required on O2 - O4 Trailers) and Minimum 2 Required on trailers over 6m long. This is in the application column. Trailers for the carriage and launching of boats are not required to have front position lamps or side marker lamps but they do require reverse lamps. Newer boat trailers with reverse lamps have been through our workshop. speak to the likes of SBS and Indespension and ask if they fit them to their larger trailers (O2 over 750kg) Approved Light boards are available I have seen them being made for boat trailer and plant trailer manufacturers with reverse lamps but these can be complicated as the trailer also has other lights for markers. Motorway checks are evolving I have been there with the DVSA ( Formally Vosa ), Police and customs as trailers and caravans are pulled in. I have done this in different counties to find that they are very uninformed and work in different ways in 2019 when they were pulling trailers in they were checking very limited things such as tyres, brakeaway cables, the lights fitted worked and weights. no one seemed to be aware of the full laws how to check brakes but in the next few years I have heard that they are now beginning to check some aspects of brakes. over the years the police and DVSA will be more aware of the laws and it may get picked up. MOT's are not required currently for trailers but it is something that is being worked towards and this should also pick up on items like lights that are not fitted. From my experience I find that the main people that pick up on laws are Insurance companies if they have a large payout to make and a trailer is involved that is not road worthy this can be used to move the blame or to not pay. Hope this helps