Be smart around oversize loads
LOAD PILOT VEHICLES ARE THERE TO WARN AND GIVE instructions to other vehicles on the road about the oversize loads that they are accompanying. Purple lights on any load pilot v ehicles ahead of the oversize load mean that it’s wider than five metres, and may be up to
11m in width. Therefore, if you see purple flashing lights, y ou should slow down and be prepared to pull over and stop.
The lighting and signage combinations on pilot v ehicles make it easy for truckies and other r oad users to determine what y our action should be on sighting a pilot v ehicle coming towards you. The pilot driver may then offer you further advice about what to do next with the use of a stop/slo w paddle, a red wand, by CB radio or other means.
There are two main situations:
These loads are between 2.55 and 5.0m in width.
These loads will be accompanied b y a single pilot or, if larger, may have up to two additional pilots.
These pilots will have amber flashing lights.
They will display a sign that says “Wide Load Follows” or “Long Load Follows.”
In this case, on sighting the pilot, slo w down and look at the first pilot for any indication of the need to pull o ver. The pilot may use CB to communicate with heavy v ehicles.
These loads exceed 5.0m in width and may be up 11m in width – so taking up the whole width of the r oad.
These loads will be accompanied b y at least two pilots in the front and one at the r ear.
These pilots will have purple and amber flashing lights.
They will display a sign that says “D anger Slow Down” or “House Follows.”
In this case, on sighting the pilot, slo w down and be prepared to pull over and stop. Look at the first pilot for any communication about stopping and parking. The pilot may use CB to communicate with heavy v ehicles.
These larger overdimension loads are essentially a moving roadblock, and the key message that the o versize industry wants other road users to understand is that purple lights mean that you will need to slow down and be prepared to stop.
This does depend on the specific section of r oad that you’re travelling on and other roading conditions – such as the width of the road and any roadside restrictions such as lightpoles, signage and trees. The load pilots will provide specific instructions to other road users as is r equired for the particular situation.
In some locations there are understrength bridges, and this requires all other traffic to be stopped to allo w an overweight load to cross the bridge at a slo w speed. In this situation other road users will need to be patient while the traffic is clear ed off the bridge, and the heavy load cr osses the bridge – often down the centre of the road, so that the load weight can be spread evenly across the bridge structure.
The NZ Heavy Haulage Association is the main industry body for those involved in the transport of oversize and overweight loads. We welcome feedback from other road users about the operation of the warning lights and signs combinations, as w e are always looking for ways to enhance the system. T&D