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 ANNEX  
Rules for the use of rear aerodynamic devices  
 
 
1. Attachment to vehicles  
It must not be possible for aerodyn amic devices attached to the rear of vehicles to become 
accidentally detached from the vehicles and pos e a risk of accident to  other road users. 
The devices must be foldable or retractable. Wh en the devices are folded or retracted, they 
must be locked so that they remain in that position and do not open or are not torn away, for 
example when exposed to winds of up to 160 km /h, regardless of the direction of the wind 
(corresponding to two railway carriages in combined transport passing each other),  
Once the devices are deployed, they must remain  in an open position and be attached to the 
vehicle in a sufficiently solid manner so that th e equipment is not torn away, for example:  
(a) when exposed to winds of up to 90 km/ h, regardless of the direction of the wind, 
(b) or when exposed to a pressure difference of 330 N/m² perpendicular to the surface of the 
devices. 
Once the devices are deployed, they must be sufficiently rigid to prevent oscillation or 
swinging caused by exposure to crosswinds of up to 90 km/h or by the movement of the 
vehicle until it reaches its maximum speed. 
2. Deployment  
If the aerodynamic devices are designed so th at the driver can manoeuvre them from the 
cabin, their deployment must not be possible except through deliberat e action by the driver. 
In the case of devices over 500 mm long, the vehicle's speed alone  must not be sufficient to 
activate the automatic deployment and folding mechanism of the devices. 
In addition, the driver must be able to fold and unfold any powered devices manually when 
the vehicle is stationary.  
The driver must be able to manually handl e the rear aerodynamic devices safely in all 
circumstances. 
Regardless of whether the vehicle is statio nary or moving, the deployment of the rear 
aerodynamic devices must not be possible through e xposure to the wind or any other factor or 
event but only through deliberate human action. 
3. Conditions of use related to combined transport (rail or waterways)  FR 
 
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 Vehicles equipped with rear aerodynamic devices must not be wider than 2 650 mm when the 
devices are deployed, or more  than 2 600 mm when they ar e folded or retracted. The 
maximum height authorised in international tra ffic for vehicles equipped with such devices is 
set in point 1.3 of Annex I to Directive 96/53/EC.  
In accordance with Directive 96/53/EC, the excess le ngth due to the folded or retracted rear 
devices must be no more than 200 mm, in addition to the length of  the vehicle, if the vehicle 
is likely to be used in combined transport by rail. 
The installed devices must not extend be low the loading floor of the vehicle. 
4. Conditions related to road infrastructure  
Vehicles equipped with rear aerodynamic devices must fulfil the conditions of 
manoeuvrability referred to in point 1.5 of Annex I to Directive 96/53/EC. 
Furthermore, when the vehicle is stationary or parked and regardless of  whether its engine is 
switched off, any devices longer than 500 mm must be folded or retracte d so that they do not 
extend beyond the edges of the parking spaces.  
The use of deployed devices is prohibited in geographical areas  where the speed limit is 50 
km/h or less. 
When the devices are deployed, vehicles equipped with such devices must be able to circulate 
on all roads that are accessible to  lorries and where th e highest authorised speed is above 50 
km/h. The driver may deploy the devices only wher e and when this is possible without risk to 
himself or other road users. 
The aerodynamic devices, regardle ss of whether they are folded  or unfolded, must not weaken 
the performance of the rear underrun protecti ve devices or cover the lighting and light-
signalling devices or the number pl ate and other statutory plates.  
The aerodynamic devices must not pose a risk of in jury to other road users or have any parts 
that are directed outwards and might clip pedestrians, cyclists or motorcyclists. 
 
5. Approval of the devices and inspection of the vehicles  
Equipment over 500 mm long intended to be atta ched to vehicles must be type-approved 
pursuant to the provisions of Directive 2007/46/EC1. 
The rear aerodynamic devices and th eir attachment mechanism must be checked as part of the 
regular inspection of the vehicles  laid down in Directive 2014/45/EU2 and the inspections laid 
down in Directive 2014/47/EU3. 
                                                            
1 Directive 2007/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 September 2007 establis hing a framework for the approv al of 
motor vehicles and their trailers, and of  systems, components and separate tec hnical units intended for such vehicles 
2 Directive 2014/45/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 3 April 2014 on periodic roadworthiness tests for motor vehicles 
and their trailers and re pealing Directive 2009/40/EC.  
3 Directive 2014/47/EU of the European Parliament and of the C ouncil of 3 April 2014 on the technical roadside inspection of the 
roadworthiness of commercial vehicles circulating in the Un ion and repealing Directive 2000/30/EC, OJ L 127, 29.4.2014, p. 134  FR 
 
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