South Carolina Code of Regulations › Chapter 38 - DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY › Article 5 - STATE TRANSPORT POLICE REGULATIONS › Subarticle 1 - UNMANUFACTURED FOREST PRODUCTS TRUCKING REGULATIONS › Part 38-393 - PARTS AND ACCESSORIES NECESSARY FOR SAFE OPERATION › Subpart B - LIGHTING DEVICES, REFLECTORS, AND ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT › Section 38-393.13 - Retroreflective sheeting and reflex reflectors, requirements for semitrailers and trailers manufactured before December 1, 1993

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 6, June 28, 2024
(a) Applicability. All trailers and
					 semitrailers manufactured prior to December 1, 1993, which have an overall
					 width of 2,032 mm (80 inches) or more and a gross vehicle weight rating of
					 4,536 kg (10,001 pounds) or more, except trailers that are manufactured
					 exclusively for use as offices or dwellings, pole trailers (as defined in
					 Regulation Regulation
					 38-390.5
					 of these regulation), and trailers transported in a driveaway-towaway
					 operation, must be equipped with retroreflective sheeting or an array of reflex
					 reflectors that meet the requirements. Motor carriers operating trailers, other
					 than container chassis (as defined in Regulation Regulation
					 38-393.5),
					 have until June 1, 2001, to comply with the requirements of 38-393. Motor
					 carriers operating container chassis have until December 1, 2001, to comply
					 with the requirements of 38-393.
(b) Retroreflective sheeting and reflex
					 reflectors. Motor carriers are encouraged to retrofit their trailers with a
					 conspicuity system that meets all of the requirements applicable to trailers
					 manufactured on or after December 1, 1993, including the use of retroreflective
					 sheeting or reflex reflectors in a red and white pattern (see Federal Motor
					 Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108 (
					 49
					 CFR 571.108 ), S5.7, Conspicuity systems).
					 Motor carriers which do not retrofit their trailers to meet the requirements of
					 FMVSS No. 108, for example by using an alternative color pattern, must comply
					 with the remainder of this paragraph and with paragraph (c) or (d).
					 Retroreflective sheeting or reflex reflectors in colors or color combinations
					 other than red and white may be used on the sides or lower rear area of the
					 semitrailer or trailer until June 1, 2009. The alternate color or color
					 combination must be uniform along the sides and lower rear area of the trailer.
					 The retroreflective sheeting or reflex reflectors on the upper rear area of the
					 trailer must be white and conform to the requirements of FMVSS No. 108 (S5.7).
					 Red retroreflective sheeting or reflex reflectors shall not be used along the
					 sides of the trailer unless it is used as part of a red and white pattern.
					 Retroreflective sheeting shall have a width of at least 50 mm (2
					 inches).
(c) Locations for
					 retroreflective sheeting.
(1) Sides.
					 Retroreflective sheeting shall be applied to each side of the trailer or
					 semitrailer. Each strip of retroreflective sheeting shall be positioned as
					 horizontally as practicable, beginning and ending as close to the front and
					 rear as practicable. The strip need no be continuous but the sum of the length
					 of all of the segments shall be at least half of the length of the trailer and
					 the spaces between the segments of the strip shall be distributed as evenly as
					 practicable. The centerline for each strip of retroreflective sheeting shall be
					 between 375 mm (15 inches) and 1,525 mm (60 inches) above the road surface when
					 measured with the trailer empty or unladed, or as close as practicable to this
					 area. If necessary to clear rivet heads or other similar obstruction, 50 mm (2
					 inches) wide retroreflective sheeting may be separated into two 25 mm (1 inch)
					 wide strips of the same length and color, separated by a space of not more than
					 25 mm (1 inch).
(2) Lower rear
					 area. The rear of each trailer and semitrailer must be equipped with
					 retroreflective sheeting. Each strip of retroreflective sheeting shall be
					 positioned as horizontally as practicable, extending across the full width of
					 the trailer, beginning and ending as close to the extreme edges as practicable.
					 The centerline for each of the strips of retroreflective sheeting shall be
					 between 375 mm (15 inches) and 1,525 mm (60 inches) above the road surface when
					 measured with the trailer empty or unladen, or as close as practicable to this
					 area.
(3) Upper rear area. Two
					 pairs of white strips of retroreflective sheeting, each pair consisting of
					 strips 300 mm (12 inches) long, must be positioned horizontally and vertically
					 on the right and left upper corners of the rear of the body of each trailer and
					 semitrailer, as close as practicable to the top of the trailer and as far apart
					 as practicable. If the perimeter of the body, as viewed from the rear, is not
					 square or rectangular, the strips may be applied along the perimeter, as close
					 as practicable to the uppermost and outermost areas of the rear of the body on
					 the left and right sides.