Western Australian Current Regulations Western Australian Current Regulations In these regulations,
unless the contrary intention appears —
agricultural combination means a combination that
includes at least one agricultural vehicle;
agricultural implement means a vehicle without its
own motive power, built to perform agricultural tasks;
agricultural machine means a machine with its own
motive power, built to perform agricultural tasks;
agricultural vehicle means an agricultural
implement or agricultural machine;
Airservices Australia means the body established
by the Air Services Act 1995 (Commonwealth) section 7(1);
Airservices Australia vehicle means a vehicle
driven by any of the following persons in the course of the person’s
duty to Airservices Australia —
(a) the
Chief Executive Officer appointed under the Air Services Act 1995
(Commonwealth) section 34;
(b) a
person appointed to act as the Chief Executive Officer under the
Air Services Act 1995 (Commonwealth) section 41;
(c) a
person employed under the Air Services Act 1995 (Commonwealth)
section 42;
(d) a
person engaged as a consultant under the Air Services Act 1995
(Commonwealth) section 43;
air storage tank , of a vehicle, means a tank
fitted to the vehicle for storing compressed air;
articulated bus means a bus with at least 2 rigid
sections that allow passengers access between the sections and are connected
to allow rotary movement between the sections;
Australian Border Force has the meaning given in
the Australian Border Force Act 2015 (Commonwealth) section 4(1);
Australian Border Force vehicle means a vehicle
driven by an Immigration and Border Protection worker in the course of the
worker’s duty to the Australian Border Force;
Australian Design Rule (ADR) has the meaning given
in regulation 226;
Australian Standard (AS) means a standard approved
for publication on behalf of Standards Australia;
B‑double means a combination consisting of a
prime mover towing 2 semi‑trailers;
B‑double
bicycle has the meaning given in the Road Traffic
Code 2000 regulation 3(1);
bus means a motor vehicle built mainly to carry
people that seats more than 9 adults (including the driver);
car means a motor vehicle built mainly to carry
people that —
(a)
seats not more than 9 adults (including the driver); and
(b) has
a body commonly known as a sedan, station wagon, utility, coupe, convertible
or roadster; and
(c) has
4 or more wheels;
car or bus means a motor vehicle, other than a
motor cycle, or a motorised wheelchair, built mainly to carry people and
includes the type of vehicle known as a utility;
centre line , of an axle, means —
(a) for
an axle consisting of 1 shaft — a line parallel to the length
of the axle and passing through the centre of the axle; or
(b) for
an axle consisting of 2 shafts — a line in the vertical plane
passing through —
(i)
the centres of both shafts; and
(ii)
the centres of the wheels on the shafts;
centre line , of an axle group, means —
(a) if
the group consists of 2 axles, one of which is fitted with twice the
number of tyres as the other axle — a vertical line located
one‑third of the way from the centre line of the axle with more tyres
towards the centre line of the axle with fewer tyres; and
(b) in
any other case — a line located midway between the centre lines of
the outermost axles of the group;
certificate of inspection means a certificate of
inspection issued under regulation 18;
character includes letter and numeral;
combination means a group of vehicles consisting
of a motor vehicle connected to one or more vehicles;
compliance plate , in relation to a vehicle, means
a plate that —
(a) is
approved by the Australian Motor Vehicle Certification Board; and
(b)
relates to the vehicle; and
(c)
indicates that the vehicle complies with each ADR applicable to vehicles of
that make, model and year of manufacture;
controlled access bus means a bus, except an
articulated bus, over 12.5 m long;
converter dolly means a trailer with one axle
group or single axle, and a fifth wheel coupling, designed to convert a
semi‑trailer into a dog trailer;
Converter dolly
dangerous goods has the meaning given the
Dangerous Goods Safety Act 2004 section 3(1);
daytime means the period from sunrise to sunset;
defect notice means a notice mentioned in
section 71(1);
diesel engine means an engine that works on the
compression‑ignition principle;
dog trailer means a trailer (including a trailer
consisting of a semi‑trailer and converter dolly) with —
(a) one
axle group or single axle at the front that is steered by connection to the
towing vehicle by a drawbar; and
(b) one
axle group or single axle at the rear;
Dog trailer
drawbar means a part of a trailer (except a
semi‑trailer) connecting the trailer body to a coupling for towing
purposes;
electric rideable device has the meaning given in
the Road Traffic Code 2000 regulation 3A;
engine identification number , for a vehicle,
means the vehicle’s engine identification number that is required under
regulation 274(2);
escort vehicle means a motor vehicle that is being
used —
(a) to
transport a police officer or an authorised person as defined in the Road
Traffic Code 2000 regulation 3(1); and
(b) to
warn other road users of the presence of an oversize vehicle;
fifth wheel coupling means a device, except the
upper rotating element and the kingpin (which are parts of a
semi‑trailer), used with a prime mover, semi‑trailer, or converter
dolly, to allow quick coupling and uncoupling and to provide for articulation;
front fog light means a light used to improve the
illumination of the road in case of fog, snowfall, heavy rain or a dust storm;
goods vehicle means a motor vehicle built or
modified to be used primarily to carry goods or materials used in any trade,
business or industry;
gross trailer mass (GTM) means the mass
transmitted to the ground by the axles of a trailer when the trailer is loaded
to its GVM and connected to a towing vehicle;
high‑beam , for a headlight or front fog
light fitted to a vehicle, means that the light is built or adjusted so that,
when the vehicle is standing on level ground, the top of the main beam of
light projected is above the low‑beam position;
identifier means —
(a) in
relation to a vehicle manufactured before 1 July 1988 —
(i)
if the vehicle has an engine identification number or an
individual chassis identification number — that number; or
(ii)
if there is no such number — any number
legibly and durably stamped on the vehicle by the vehicle’s
manufacturer;
(b) in
relation to a vehicle manufactured after 30 June 1988 —
(i)
if the vehicle has a VIN — that number; or
(ii)
in any other case — any number legibly and
durably stamped on the vehicle by the vehicle’s manufacturer to identify
the vehicle;
(c) if
the CEO has, under a written law, allotted a number to replace a number
mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b) — the replacement
number;
(d) if a
number mentioned in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) has been replaced
under a corresponding law — the replacement number;
Immigration and Border Protection worker has the
meaning given in the Australian Border Force Act 2015 (Commonwealth)
section 4(1);
inspection station has the meaning given in
section 70;
left , for a vehicle, means to the left of the
centre of the vehicle when viewed by a person in the vehicle who is facing to
the front of the vehicle;
licence holder , in relation to a vehicle, means a
person in whose name the vehicle is licensed;
load‑sharing suspension system means an axle
group suspension system that —
(a) is
built to divide the load between the tyres on the group so that no tyre
carries a mass over 10% more than the mass that it would carry if the load
were divided equally; and
(b) has
effective damping characteristics on all axles of the group;
loaded mass , of a vehicle, means the total mass
of the vehicle and its load;
low‑beam , for a headlight or front fog
light fitted to a vehicle, means that the light is built or adjusted so that,
when the vehicle is standing on level ground, the top of the main beam of
light projected is —
(a) not
higher than the centre of the headlight or fog light, when measured 8 m
in front of the vehicle; and
(b) not
more than 1 m higher than the level where the motor vehicle is standing,
when measured 25 m in front of the vehicle;
A headlight in the low‑beam position
mass rating for charging (MRC) , for a vehicle,
means —
(a) the
maximum permissible loaded mass of the vehicle as stated on the RAV for that
vehicle; or
(b) if
the maximum permissible loaded mass of the vehicle is not stated on the
RAV — the mass recorded on the compliance plate as —
(i)
the aggregate trailer mass; or
(ii)
the gross trailer mass rating; or
(iii)
the GVM;
or
(c) if
the vehicle is not entered on the RAV and does not have a compliance
plate — the maximum permissible loaded mass of the vehicle as
determined by the CEO;
metropolitan region means the region described in
the Planning and Development Act 2005 Schedule 3;
moped means a motor cycle or motor tricycle that
—
(a) is
designed so as not to be capable of a speed exceeding 50 km/h; and
(b)
either —
(i)
has an engine capacity not exceeding 50 cm 3 ; or
(ii)
is not powered by a piston engine;
motor cycle means a motor vehicle, other than a
motorised wheelchair or a goods vehicle, that is not equipped with a permanent
cab and cab roof and that —
(a) is
designed to travel on 2 wheels, or, with a sidecar attached,
3 wheels; or
(b) has
3 wheels arranged so that the axis of rotation of 2 wheels lies on
the same straight line and each of those 2 wheels is equidistant from the
third;
motor home means a motor vehicle built for human
habitation;
motorised scooter has the meaning given in the
Road Traffic Code 2000 regulation 3(1);
motorised wheelchair means a chair‑type
vehicle that —
(a) is
fitted with 3 or more wheels; and
(b) is
fitted and designed only for the use of persons with a physical disability;
motor tricycle means a motor vehicle with
3 wheels, but does not include a two‑wheeled motor vehicle with a
sidecar attached to it that is supported by a third wheel;
motor vehicle means a vehicle to be propelled by a
motor that forms part of the vehicle;
mudguard means a fitting or device, with or
without a mudflap, that is built and fitted to a vehicle in a way that will,
as far as practicable, catch or deflect downwards any stone, mud, water or
other substance thrown up by the rotation of the wheel to which the fitting or
device is fitted;
nearer side of the vehicle , in relation to a
light or reflector fitted to a vehicle, means the side of the vehicle that is
closest to where the light or reflector is fitted;
omnibus has the meaning given in section 130;
operator , in relation to a vehicle, means a
person who otherwise controls or directs the operations of the vehicle;
over‑mass , in relation to a vehicle, means
having a mass that exceeds an applicable mass requirement (whether or not the
vehicle also has a dimension that exceeds an applicable dimension
requirement);
oversize , in relation to a vehicle, means having
a dimension that exceeds an applicable dimension requirement (whether or not
the vehicle also has a mass that exceeds an applicable mass requirement);
parking brake , of a vehicle, means the brake
usually used to keep the vehicle stationary while the vehicle is parked;
peak hours means 7.30 a.m. to 9.00 a.m.
and 4.30 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
or Friday, other than a public holiday;
pig trailer means a trailer with one axle group or
a single axle near the middle of its load‑carrying surface, and
connected to the towing vehicle by a drawbar;
Pig trailer
pilot vehicle means a motor vehicle, other than an
escort vehicle, being used to warn other road users of the presence of an
oversize or over‑mass vehicle;
point of articulation means —
(a) the
axis of a kingpin for a fifth wheel; or
(b) the
vertical axis of rotation of a fifth wheel coupling; or
(c) the
vertical axis of rotation of a turntable assembly; or
(d) the
vertical axis of rotation of the front axle group, or single axle, of a dog
trailer; or
(e) the
coupling pivot point of a semi‑trailer;
Point of articulation — fifth wheel coupling
on a converter
dolly (forming the front axle
group of a dog trailer)
Point of articulation — fifth wheel on a prime mover
Point of articulation — kingpin for fifth wheel
pole‑type trailer , except in Part 11
Division 1 means a trailer that —
(a) is
attached to a towing vehicle by a pole, or an attachment fitted to the pole;
and
(b) is
ordinarily used for transporting loads, such as logs, pipes, structural
members, or other long objects, that can generally support themselves like
beams between supports;
Pole‑type trailer
prime mover means a motor vehicle built to tow a
semi‑trailer;
RAV means the Register of Approved Vehicles kept
under the Road Vehicle Standards Act 2018 (Commonwealth)
section 14(1);
rear overhang , of a vehicle, means the distance
between the rear overhang line and the rear of the vehicle;
Rear overhang and rear overhang line
Rear overhang and rear overhang line —
vehicle with tri‑axle
group at rear 
Rear overhang and rear overhang line — semi‑trailer
repairable write‑off , in relation to a
vehicle, has the meaning given in regulation 151;
right , for a vehicle, means to the right of the
centre of the vehicle when viewed by a person in the vehicle who is facing to
the front of the vehicle;
road train means a combination, except a
B‑double, consisting of a motor vehicle towing at least 2 trailers
(counting as a single trailer a converter dolly supporting a
semi‑trailer);
Road train
seasonal heavy vehicle licence means a heavy
vehicle licence that is endorsed “seasonal” under
regulation 40;
section means section of the Act;
semi‑trailer means a trailer (including a
pole‑type trailer) that has —
(a) one
axle group or single axle to the rear; and
(b) a
means of attachment to a prime mover that results in some of the load being
imposed on the prime mover;
service brake , for a vehicle, means the brake
normally used to decelerate the vehicle;
set , in relation to number plates of any kind,
means one or more plates each of which bears the same characters;
side marker light means a light fitted to the side
of a vehicle indicating the presence and length of the vehicle when viewed on
that side;
single axle means an axle not forming part of an
axle group;
special purpose vehicle means a motor vehicle,
other than a tow truck or an agricultural vehicle, built for a purpose other
than carrying a load, except for water in the case of concrete pumps and fire
trucks;
statutory write‑off has the meaning given in
regulation 150;
street rod vehicle means a vehicle that has been
modified for safe road use and that —
(a) has
a body and frame that were built before 1949; or
(b) is a
replica of a vehicle the body and frame of which were built before 1949;
tow includes the following —
(a) to
carry;
(b) to
lift and tow;
(c) to
lift and carry;
(d) to
lift for the purpose of towing;
tow truck means —
(a) a
motor vehicle that is —
(i)
equipped with a crane, winch, ramp or other lifting or
loading device; and
(ii)
used or intended to be used for the towing or salvaging
of a motor vehicle;
or
(b) a
combination consisting of a prime mover towing a semi‑trailer that
is —
(i)
equipped with a crane, winch, ramp or other lifting or
loading device; and
(ii)
used or intended to be used for the towing or salvaging
of a motor vehicle.
trailer means a vehicle without its own motive
power that is built to be towed, or is towed, by a motor vehicle, but does not
include a motor vehicle that is being towed;
turntable means a bearing built to carry vertical
and horizontal loads, but does not allow quick separation of its upper and
lower rotating elements, and that is used to connect and allow articulation
between —
(a) a
prime mover and semi‑trailer; or
(b) the
steering axle or axle group of a dog trailer and the body of the trailer; or
(c) a
fifth wheel coupling and the vehicle to which it is mounted;
unloaded mass has the meaning given in the
Road Traffic (Administration) Act 2008 section 16(2);
vacuum storage tank , of a vehicle, means a tank
fitted to the vehicle for storing air at low pressure;
vehicle identification number (VIN) , for a
vehicle, means the vehicle identification number that is required under
regulation 274(4) for the vehicle;
Written‑Off Vehicle Register (WOVR) means
the register mentioned in regulation 156;
yellow includes amber.
[Regulation 3 amended: Gazette
15 Nov 2016 p. 5063; 29 Mar 2019 p. 962‑4;
SL 2021/37 r. 4; SL 2021/93 r. 9; SL 2021/81
r. 4; SL 2021/199 r. 8; SL 2022/149 r. 5;
SL 2022/174 r. 4.]