South Australia
Road Traffic (Light Vehicle Mass and Loading Requirements) Regulations 2013
under the Road Traffic Act 1961

Contents
1	Short title
3	Schedule 1 contains light vehicle mass and loading requirements
4	Interpretation
5	Application of light vehicle mass and loading requirements
6	Proof of loading offences
Schedule 1—Light vehicle mass and loading requirements
Part 1—Light vehicle mass limits
1	Mass limit for single vehicle
2	Mass of vehicle towed by vehicle
Part 2—Size and projection of loads
3	Size limits
4	Front and side projections
5	Rear projections
6	Dangerous projections
Part 3—Placing and securing loads
7	Loading obligations
7A	Restricting movement of load
8	Trailers
Dictionary
Legislative history

1—Short title
These regulations may be cited as the Road Traffic (Light Vehicle Mass and Loading Requirements) Regulations 2013.
3—Schedule 1 contains light vehicle mass and loading requirements
Schedule 1 contains light vehicle mass and loading requirements made under section 113 of the Road Traffic Act 1961.
Note—
If a vehicle that does not comply with the light vehicle mass and loading requirements is driven on a road, a person commits an offence if the person is the driver or operator of the vehicle (sections 123 and 124 of the Road Traffic Act 1961).
4—Interpretation
	(1)	A definition in the dictionary at the end of these regulations applies to each use of the word or expression in these regulations, unless the contrary intention appears.
	(2)	A note does not form part of these regulations.
	(3)	A diagram appearing in these regulations is illustrative only.
5—Application of light vehicle mass and loading requirements
	(1)	Schedule 1 applies only to—
	(a)	light vehicles; and
	(b)	combinations that consist of light vehicles only.
	(2)	However, Schedule 1 does not apply to a vehicle or combination that is used only on a railway or tramway.
Notes—
1	A light vehicle is a vehicle that is not a heavy vehicle—see section 5 of the Road Traffic Act 1961.
2	A heavy vehicle is a vehicle that has a gross vehicle mass (GVM) or aggregate trailer mass (ATM) of more than 4.5 tonnes. Also, a combination that includes a vehicle with a GVM or ATM of more than 4.5 tonnes is a heavy vehicle—see section 6 of the Heavy Vehicle National Law (South Australia).
6—Proof of loading offences
	(1)	In proceedings for a failure to comply with Schedule 1 clause 7 (relating to loading a vehicle), it is sufficient for the prosecution to prove that the load on the vehicle was not placed, secured or restrained (as the case requires) in a way that met the performance standards recommended in the Load Restraint Guide published by the National Transport Commission, as in force from time to time.
	(2)	If the prosecution in proceedings for a failure to comply with Schedule 1 clause 7(2) (relating to securing a load on a vehicle) proves that the load, or part of the load, had fallen off the vehicle, the burden of proof is on the defendant to show compliance.

Schedule 1—Light vehicle mass and loading requirements
Part 1—Light vehicle mass limits
1—Mass limit for single vehicle
	(1)	The mass of any load on a vehicle must not exceed a maximum specified by the vehicle's manufacturer.
	(2)	The total mass of a vehicle and any load must not exceed the vehicle's GVM.
2—Mass of vehicle towed by vehicle
The loaded mass of a vehicle towed by another vehicle must not exceed—
	(a)	the capacity of the towing apparatus of the towing vehicle; or
	(b)	a mass specified by the manufacturer of the towing vehicle as the maximum mass of a vehicle that may be towed by the towing vehicle; or
	(c)	if a mass is not specified by the manufacturer of the towing vehicle as referred to in paragraph (b) and the towed vehicle is fitted with brakes that may be operated by the driver of the towing vehicle—one and a half times the unloaded mass of the towing vehicle; or
	(d)	if a mass is not specified by the manufacturer of the towing vehicle as referred to in paragraph (b) and the towed vehicle is not fitted with brakes that may be operated by the driver of the towing vehicle—the unloaded mass of the towing vehicle.
Part 2—Size and projection of loads
3—Size limits
	(1)	A vehicle or a combination, and its load, must not exceed a size limit set for the vehicle or combination in the Light Vehicle Standards.
	(2)	The distance measured at right angles between the rear overhang line of a vehicle and the rear of any load it is carrying must not exceed the rear overhang that the vehicle is allowed under the Light Vehicle Standards.

Illustration of rear overhang limit from Light Vehicle Standards and maximum rear projection of load allowed without a warning signal
4—Front and side projections
A load on a vehicle must not project more than 1.2 metres in front of the vehicle, or more than 150 millimetres from the outermost part of either side of it.

Vehicle loaded to width limits referred to in clause 3(1), with maximum side projection of load allowed under this clause

Illustration of front and rear projection limits
Note—
The combined dimensions of a vehicle and its load must still meet the requirements of clause 3 even if the load projects from the vehicle in any direction.
5—Rear projections
	(1)	The rear of a load on a vehicle must carry a warning signal if the load—
	(a)	projects more than 1.2 metres behind the vehicle; or
	(b)	projects to the rear of the vehicle so that the end of the load cannot be seen easily from behind.
	(2)	In daytime, the warning signal must be a brightly coloured flag or piece of material, with each side at least 300 millimetres long.
	(3)	In the night the warning signal must be a red light which can be seen for 200 metres.
6—Dangerous projections
A load on a vehicle must not project in a way that is dangerous to a person or to property, even if all dimension and warning requirements are met.
Part 3—Placing and securing loads
7—Loading obligations
	(1)	A load on a vehicle must not be placed in a way that makes the vehicle unstable or unsafe.
	(2)	A load on a vehicle must be secured so that it is unlikely to fall or be dislodged from the vehicle.
	(3)	An appropriate method must be used to restrain the load on a vehicle.
	(4)	This clause is not limited by clause 7A.
7A—Restricting movement of load
	(1)	A load on a vehicle must be restrained by a method that—
	(a)	prevents the load from moving in relation to the vehicle (other than movement allowed under subclause (2)) in the circumstances referred to in subclause (3); and
	(b)	at a minimum, is capable of withstanding the forces that would result in the circumstances referred to in subclause (3).
	(2)	A load may move in relation to the vehicle if—
	(a)	the vehicle's stability and weight distribution are not adversely affected by the movement; and
	(b)	the load does not become dislodged from the vehicle.
Examples of load movement that may be permitted under subclause (2)—
	1	A load contained within the sides or enclosure of the vehicle that is restrained from moving horizontally may be able to move vertically.
	2	A load of very light objects, or a loose bulk load, that is contained within the sides or enclosure of the vehicle may be able to move horizontally and vertically.
	3	A bulk liquid load contained within the sides or enclosure of the vehicle.
	(3)	For the purposes of subclause (1), the circumstances are that the vehicle is subject to—
	(a)	any of the following, separately:
	(i)	0.8g deceleration in a forwards direction;
	(ii)	0.5g deceleration in a rearwards direction;
	(iii)	0.5g acceleration in a lateral direction; and
	(b)	if friction or limited vertical displacement is relied on to comply with paragraph (a)—0.2g acceleration in a vertical direction relative to the load.
	(4)	In this clause—
g means gravitational acceleration or 9.81 m/s².
8—Trailers
	(1)	A trailer in a combination must be securely coupled to the vehicle in front of it.
	(2)	The components of a coupling used between vehicles must be compatible and properly connected to each other.

Dictionary
In these regulations—
ADR (Australian Design Rule) means a national standard under the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 of the Commonwealth, as in force from time to time;
axle group means a single axle group, tandem axle group or tri‑axle group;
combination means a group of vehicles consisting of a motor vehicle towing 1 or more vehicles;
Note—
Under regulation 20A of the Road Traffic (Miscellaneous) Regulations 1999 a light motor vehicle (other than a tractor) is only permitted to tow 1 vehicle. Tractors may tow 2 vehicles.
Light Vehicle Standards means the Road Traffic (Light Vehicle Standards) Rules 2018;

rear overhang line means—
	(a)	if there is a single axle at the rear of the vehicle—the centre‑line of the axle; or
	(b)	if there is an axle group at the rear of the vehicle—the centre of the axle group, determined without regard to the presence of any steerable axle or retractable axle in the group unless all axles in the group are steerable or retractable;

Rear overhang line on a typical motor vehicle that has an axle group

Rear overhang line on a typical semi‑trailer
retractable axle means an axle that can be raised so that the tyres on the axle do not touch the ground;
tandem axle group means a group of at least 2 axles, in which the horizontal distance between the centre‑lines of the outermost axles is at least 1 metre, but not more than 2 metres;
tri‑axle group means a group of at least 3 axles, in which the horizontal distance between the centre‑lines of the outermost axles is more than 2 metres, but not more than 3.2 metres.

Legislative history
Notes
	•	Please note—References in the legislation to other legislation or instruments or to titles of bodies or offices are not automatically updated as part of the program for the revision and publication of legislation and therefore may be obsolete.
	•	Earlier versions of these regulations (historical versions) are listed at the end of the legislative history.
	•	For further information relating to the Act and subordinate legislation made under the Act see the Index of South Australian Statutes or www.legislation.sa.gov.au.
Principal regulations and variations
New entries appear in bold.
Year	No	Reference	Commencement	
2013	299	Gazette 19.12.2013 p5033	10.2.2014: r 2	
2018	7	Gazette 23.1.2018 p377	23.1.2018: r 2	
2019	232	Gazette 7.11.2019 p3778	1.12.2019: r 2	
Provisions varied
New entries appear in bold.
Provision	How varied	Commencement	
r 2	omitted under Legislation Revision and Publication Act 2002	23.1.2018	
Dictionary			
Light Vehicle Standards	varied by 7/2018 r 4	23.1.2018	
Sch 1			
Pt 3			
cl 7			
cl 7(4)	inserted by 232/2019 r 4(1)	1.12.2019	
cl 7A	inserted by 232/2019 r 4(2)	1.12.2019	
Historical versions
23.1.2018