Hooking a broken-down car to a friend’s with a rope, giving people a lift in the back of a lorry, carrying a long ladder on the roof — everyday jobs. The law gives a measure for each: how many metres, how many km/h, who sits where.
Towing
- The driver of the towing vehicle has at least one year of driving experience (Art. 55.V.1).
- At the wheel of the towed vehicle sits a driver or another person licensed for that category; they repeat the towing driver’s signals (Art. 55.V.2, 55.V.4).
- The towing driver switches on the dipped headlights, in daylight too (Art. 55.V.3); in the dark the towed vehicle shows position lights (Art. 73.III.2).
- You may not tow a vehicle heavier than your own (special tow vehicles excepted) (Art. 55.V.5).
- The speed may not exceed 50 km/h (Art. 55.V.6, 50.II.6).
- No one may ride in a towed bus or trolleybus or in the back of a towed lorry (Art. 55.V.7).
- A vehicle with faulty brakes and steering may be towed only by loading it fully or partly onto the towing vehicle (Art. 55.V.8).
- With a rigid link the gap is at most 4 m; with a flexible link 4 to 6 m, and each metre of a flexible link carries a warning plate or flag (Art. 55.V.9).
| Towing is prohibited | Article |
|---|---|
| on icy roads | 55.VI.1 |
| when the whole combination would be longer than 24 m | 55.VI.2 |
| with two-wheeled motorcycles or mopeds, or towing them | 55.VI.3 |
| more than one vehicle | 55.VI.4 |
| with bicycles or small electric vehicles, or towing them (except a bicycle trailer) | 46.II.7, 46-1.IV.12 |
Carrying people
- The driver lets passengers on and off only when the vehicle has fully stopped, moves off only with the doors closed and does not open them until it has fully stopped (Art. 56.VIII).
- People may not ride outside the cab of a vehicle (except in the back of a flatbed lorry or a van body), on a tractor or self-propelled machine, in a cargo trailer or caravan, in the body of a cargo motorcycle, or on parts of a motorcycle or moped not meant for sitting (Art. 56.IX.1).
- Public-transport vehicles and lorries carrying people may not enter a filling station with passengers on board (Art. 56.XI).
| People in the back of a lorry | Rule |
|---|---|
| Who may drive | a holder of category C or C1 (up to 8 people including the cab); for more people, also D or D1 (Art. 56.I) |
| Seats | 0.3–0.5 m above the floor and at least 0.3 m below the top of the side; seats along the rear and side boards with firm backrests (Art. 56.III) |
| How many | no more than the number of seats (Art. 56.IV) |
| Speed | at most 50 km/h (Art. 50.II.5) |
| Prohibited | standing while moving, sitting on the side or on the load (Art. 56.II); carrying groups of children (Art. 56.IX.3) |
Before moving off, the lorry driver explains to the passengers how to get on, get off and sit in the body (Art. 56.V). On a flatbed not equipped for people, only those accompanying or receiving the load may ride, and only on seats below the level of the sides (Art. 56.VI).
Loads
- The mass of the load and its distribution over the axles may not exceed the manufacturer’s limits (Art. 57.I).
- The driver checks how the load is placed and secured before setting off and on the way (Art. 57.II).
- A load must not endanger people, block the view, upset stability, drag or fall on the road, cover lights, number plates or identification signs, raise dust or dirty the road (Art. 57.III); if it does, the driver must fix it or stop (Art. 57.IV).
- If a load sticks out more than 1 m in front or behind, measured from the outer edge of the position light, or more than 0.4 m at the side, it is marked with the oversized-load identification plate (400×400 mm, red and white diagonal stripes, retro-reflective); in the dark and in poor visibility also with a white lamp or reflector in front and a red one behind (Art. 57.V, 72.8).
- On a motorcycle or moped you may not carry a load sticking out more than 0.5 m lengthwise or sideways, or one that hinders control (Art. 57.V-I).
- Vehicles wider than 2.5 m, taller than 4 m above the road, or with a load sticking out more than 2 m behind, and heavy or dangerous loads, travel under special rules (Art. 57.VI). Grain, hay and other loose loads must be covered (Art. 57.VII).
- Cars, buses and minibuses may not carry loads on the roof without a roof rack made for it (Art. 57.IX).
A car without brakes on a rope
Problem
The brakes of Elvin’s car have failed completely. A friend wants to tow it to a garage on a 5 m rope. Is that allowed?
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Solution
No.
A car with faulty brakes (and steering) may be towed only by loading it fully or partly, not on a rope (Art. 55.V.8).
A flexible tow is only for a car with working brakes: 4–6 m, a flag on every metre, at most 50 km/h.
A car with faulty brakes (and steering) may be towed only by loading it fully or partly, not on a rope (Art. 55.V.8).
A flexible tow is only for a car with working brakes: 4–6 m, a flag on every metre, at most 50 km/h.
Towing with a new licence
Problem
Aysel got her licence 8 months ago. She wants to tow her brother’s broken-down car with her own on a 4 m rigid bar. Is that allowed?
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Solution
No.
The towing vehicle must be driven by someone with at least one year of experience (Art. 55.V.1). Aysel may sit at the wheel of the towed car instead, since she holds a licence for that category (Art. 55.V.2).
The towing vehicle must be driven by someone with at least one year of experience (Art. 55.V.1). Aysel may sit at the wheel of the towed car instead, since she holds a licence for that category (Art. 55.V.2).
A ladder sticking out behind
Problem
Murad carries a 4 m ladder in the back of a pickup; it sticks out 1.3 m beyond the edge of the rear position light. It is getting dark. What is required?
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Solution
1.3 m > 1 m → the load must carry the oversized-load identification plate (Art. 57.V, 72.8).
In the dark a red lamp or reflector is also needed at the rear (Art. 57.V).
The load must be tied down firmly and must not hide the number plate or the rear lights (Art. 57.II–III).
In the dark a red lamp or reflector is also needed at the rear (Art. 57.V).
The load must be tied down firmly and must not hide the number plate or the rear lights (Art. 57.II–III).
Remember
- The towing driver needs at least 1 year of experience; a licensed person sits at the wheel of the towed car (Art. 55.V.1–2).
- Rigid ≤ 4 m, flexible 4–6 m with a flag on every metre; speed ≤ 50 km/h; the towing car on dipped beam by day (Art. 55.V).
- No towing on ice, with a combination over 24 m, with or of motorcycles, or of more than one vehicle (Art. 55.VI).
- People in a lorry body: category C/C1 (up to 8), no more than the seats, at most 50 km/h, no standing (Art. 56, 50.II.5).
- A load sticking out more than 1 m front or rear, or 0.4 m at the side, needs the identification plate, and lamps or reflectors in the dark (Art. 57.V).