Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 19/01 - Installation of Lighting and Light-Signalling Devices on L-Group Vehicles) 2006

Administered by Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts

Legislation au F2006L02800 Not in force Legislative Instrument

Legislation content

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 19/01 – Installation of Lighting and Light Signalling Devices on L-Group Vehicles) 2006

 

 

 

Made under section 7 of the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989

 

 

 

 

 

 

Explanatory Statement

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Issued by the authority of the Minister for Transport and

Regional Service

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 2006

 

CONTENTS

 

1. legislative context................................................

2. impact of the legislative instruments act 2003...........................

3. content and effect of ADR 19/01 - Installation of Lighting and Light Signalling Devices on L-Group Vehicles             

4. consultation arrangements..........................................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


  1.                        legislative context

Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 19/01 — Installation of Lighting and Light Signalling Devices on L-Group Vehicles) 2006 is made under the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 (the Act).  The Act enables the Australian Government to establish nationally uniform standards for road vehicles when they are first supplied to the market in Australia.  The Act applies to such vehicles whether they are manufactured in Australia or are imported as new or second hand vehicles.

The making of the vehicle standards necessary for the Act's effective operation is provided for in section 7 which empowers the Minister to "determine vehicle standards for road vehicles or vehicle components".

Australian Design Rule (ADR) 19/01 was originally determined in Road Vehicle (National Standards) Determination No 3 of 1990 and has been amended in four subsequent determinations.  ADR 19/01 is being remade to comply with the requirements of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003 (LIA) and to enable its registration in accordance with the requirements of the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.  The remaking of ADR 19/01 has not altered the substance of the standard as last determined.

  1.                        impact of the legislative instruments act 2003

Until now ADRs have been determined in “packages”, that is, a single determination will create, amend and repeal multiple ADRs.  In example, Determination 1 of 1991 amended 32 ADRs and Determination 2 of 2003 created one new ADR and amended 13.  The determination is the legislative instrument, not the ADR itself.

 

The intent of the LIA is to allow easy access to all legislative instruments and to be able to track their history and changes.  The current form of determination used to created vehicle standards does not allow for this as it is difficult to isolate the change history of individual ADRs and the legislative instruments (the determinations) do not contain the information of importance to those using the ADRs – the vehicle standards.

 

In consultation with the Attorney General’s Department it has been agreed that the most effective solution is to remake each ADR as a separate vehicle standard determined under section 7 of the Act.  In doing this, there is no need to backcapture the old determinations and the new layout better fits the intent of the LIA.  With each ADR as a separate vehicle standard it will be possible for interested parties to view the ADR and its change history on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.

  1.                        content and effect of ADR 19/01 - Installation of Lighting and Light Signalling Devices on L-Group Vehicles
    1.                  Overview of the ADR

The function of this vehicle standard is to ensure that the installation of lighting and light-signalling devices on the vehicle is such that the effective operation of these devices is not impaired.


  1.                  Changes to the ADR

The following changes have been made to the ADR:

  • Format.  The ADR is now presented as a single column of text rather than two columns.
  • Spelling and grammar.  Several typographical errors have been corrected.
  • Replace clause A with the following.

“a. Legislative provisions

a.1. NAME OF STANDARD

A1.1. This Standard is the Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 19/01 – Installation of Lighting and Light Signalling Devices on L-Group Vehicles) 2006.

A.1.2. This Standard may also be cited as Australian Design Rule 19/01 — Installation of Lighting and Light Signalling Devices on L-Group Vehicles.

A.2. COMMENCEMENT

A.2.1. This Standard commences on the day after it is registered.

A.3. REPEAL

A.3.1. This Standard repeals each vehicle standard with the name Australian Design Rule 19/01 — Installation of Lighting and Light Signalling Devices on L-Group Vehicles that is:

(a) made under section 7 of the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989; and

(b) in force at the commencement of this Standard.

A.3.2. This Standard also repeals each instrument made under section 7 of the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 that creates a vehicle standard with the name Australian Design Rule 19/01 — Installation of Lighting and Light Signalling Devices on L-Group Vehicles, if there are no other vehicle standards created by that instrument, or amendments to vehicle standards made by that instrument, that are still in force at the commencement of this Standard. “

  • Replace the text of the clause of 19.1.1 (a) with “Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule Definitions and Vehicle Categories) 2005; and ”

 

The text of clause A has been provided by the Attorney General’s Department to facilitate remaking each ADR as a separate legislative instrument.  This text repeals and replaces each ADR as a vehicle standard independently of the Determination under which it was made.  Once all ADRs made under a particular Determination have been remade, that Determination is repealed. 

 

Changes to clause 3 have been made to reference the ADR Definitions and Vehicle Categories as remade for the LIA requirements.

  1.                  Documents Incorporated by Reference

This section lists documents referenced in the vehicle standard and how they can be obtained.

 

  • Australian Design Rules can be purchased on CD-ROM from the Department of Transport and Regional Services.  As the ADRs are remade, they will also be available at http://www.comlaw.gov.au.
    • Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule – Definitions and Vehicle Categories) 2005
    • ADR 47 – Retroreflectors (s19.6.105.1))
    • ADR 49 – Front and Rear Position (Side) Lamps, Stop Lamps and End Outline Marker Lamps (s19.6.101.2.1)
    • ADR 53 – Front and Rear Position Lamps, Stop Lamps, Direction Indicators and Rear Registration Plate Lamps for L-Group Vehicles (s19.6.101.2.2)
    • ADR 67 – Installation of Lighting and Light-Signalling Devices on Three-Wheeled Vehicles (sC.1.5)
  • UNECE Regulations are available from their website, http://www.unece.org/trans/main/wp29/wp29regs.html.
    • ECE R 53/00, “Motorcycles Lighting” (s19.7.1.1)
    • ECE R 74/00 “Installation of Lighting and Light-signalling Devices for Mopeds” (s19.7.1.2)
  1.                        consultation arrangements
    1.                  Specific Consultation Arrangements for this Vehicle Standard

As the changes to this vehicle standard are purely administrative (to comply with the LIA) no public consultation has been undertaken.

 

The Department of Transport and Regional Services has sought advice and assistance from the Office of Legislative Drafting and the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments on how best to handle the backcapture requirements of the LIA.

 

The Office of Regulation Review has agreed that a regulation impact statement is not required as the intent and technical content of the vehicle standard has not changed.

 

 

Overview

The Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 19/01 – Installation of Lighting and Light Signalling Devices on L-Group Vehicles) 2006 was enacted under the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989. This Act enables the Australian Government to establish nationally uniform standards for road vehicles when they are first supplied to the market in Australia, whether manufactured domestically or imported. The primary problem this legislation addresses is the need to ensure that the installation of lighting and light-signalling devices on L-Group vehicles does not impair their effective operation. The Act empowers the Minister for Transport and Regional Services to determine vehicle standards, including Australian Design Rules (ADRs). The Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 19/01) 2006 was remade to comply with the requirements of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003 and to facilitate the registration and tracking of individual ADRs on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments. This remaking did not alter the substance of the standard but improved its accessibility and compliance with legislative requirements.

Scope and Application

The Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 19/01 – Installation of Lighting and Light Signalling Devices on L-Group Vehicles) 2006, made under the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989, applies to L-Group vehicles, which include motorcycles and mopeds, whether manufactured in Australia or imported as new or second-hand vehicles. This standard aims to ensure that the installation of lighting and light-signalling devices on these vehicles does not impair their effective operation. It mandates that the standards established are uniform across the nation, aligning with the legislative intent to provide nationally consistent road vehicle safety and performance standards. The Act's application is not limited to specific industries or entities but encompasses all entities involved in the supply of such vehicles in Australia. The scope of this vehicle standard is national, given that it is determined under the Commonwealth legislation. There are no exclusions, exemptions, or thresholds specified in the Act, although the application may be extended or restricted through subordinate instruments. This Act ensures that the legislative history and changes to individual Australian Design Rules (ADRs) can be tracked effectively, as each ADR is remade as a separate vehicle standard to comply with the Legislative Instruments Act 2003.

Key Provisions

The Vehicle Standard (Australian Design Rule 19/01 – Installation of Lighting and Light Signalling Devices on L-Group Vehicles) 2006 (ADR 19/01) sets out the standards for the installation of lighting and light-signalling devices on L-Group vehicles. This includes light vehicles such as cars, vans, and some small trucks. The primary requirement is that the installation of these devices must ensure their effective operation is not impaired (section A). This standard was remade under the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 (section 7) and applies to vehicles supplied in Australia, whether manufactured locally or imported (section 1). The changes to ADR 19/01 involve formatting and grammatical corrections and have not altered the substantive requirements of the standard. ADR 19/01 imposes several obligations on manufacturers, importers, and dealers of L-Group vehicles. They must ensure that all lighting and light-signalling devices are installed according to the standard to prevent impairment of their effective operation (section A). This includes the installation of components such as front and rear position lamps, stop lamps, and end outline marker lamps, as referenced in other ADRs (section 3). Manufacturers and importers must also comply with relevant United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) regulations, such as ECE R 53/00 and ECE R 74/00, which are incorporated by reference (section C). Failure to comply with ADR 19/01 can result in significant penalties and legal consequences. While the specific penalties are not detailed in the explanatory statement, breaches of vehicle standards under the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989 can result in fines and other sanctions. Non-compliance could also lead to vehicles being refused registration or deemed unfit for use on public roads, impacting both manufacturers and consumers. The standard aims to ensure safety and uniformity in vehicle lighting, which is crucial for road safety.

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Area of Law
Motor Vehicle Law
Instrument
Regulation
Concepts
Commencement Provisions
Repeal & Amendment
Reporting & Disclosure Obligations

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.