What do I need to know about driving a tractor on a public road?

Question:

Good day I am wondering if you may help me please. I am a farmer, our farms are 30km apart. We need to move equipment and tractors between the farm for seasonal operations. Our tractors are licensed along with the driver. Our problem is this. Each officer we speak to has a different version of the rules of the road.

What we want to know please is how far may we travel on the road? How wide can the equipment be and what code of license is required?
Answer:

As long as the tractor has a normal licence (not a S licence in terms of reg 21 – for tractors that are normally not used on public roads) and the driver is licensed the vehicle may travel anywhere on a public road. If the vehicle has an S licence it may only cross the road within one kilometre.

There is no exemption for a driver – he must have a licence if he drives on a public road.

If the vehicle is wider than 2.6 metres the exemptions in reg 220 and 230apply.

I copy them for you.Certain vehicles exempt from certain provisions of this Part

Reg 220.    (1)        …..

(2)        Any vehicle, including a tractor, which is not a goods vehicle and which is used solely for bona fide agricultural, horticultural, viticultural or pastoral pursuits and when operated on a public road, shall, except for the provisions of regulations 149, 149A, 151, 153, 154, 155, 156, 200, 202, 203, 204, 205, 209, 210 and 212, be excluded from the provisions of this part: Provided that—

(a)        no such vehicle shall be operated on the roadway of a public road during the period between sunset and sunrise and at any other time when, due to insufficient light or unfavourable weather conditions, persons and vehicles upon the public road would not be clearly discernible at a distance of 150 metres;

(b)        the driver of any such vehicle on the roadway of a public road shall stop such vehicle and, where possible, drive it off the roadway if it be necessary in order to allow other vehicular traffic to pass;

(c)        no such vehicle shall be operated on a freeway.

(3)       A motor vehicle manufactured before 1965 is exempt from any provisions of this Part in so far as the fitment of the equipment required in terms of this Part will alter the original design and equipment of such motor vehicle.

Certain vehicles exempt from provisions of this Part

Reg 230.    (1)        …..

(2)        Any vehicle, including a tractor, which is not a goods vehicle and which is used solely for bona fide agricultural, horticultural, viticultural or pastoral pursuits and when operated on a public road, is exempt from the provisions of this Part, except for the provisions of regulation 224: Provided that—

(a)        no such vehicle shall be operated on the roadway of a public road during the period between sunset and sunrise and at any other time when, due to insufficient light or unfavourable weather conditions, persons and vehicles upon the public road would not be clearly discernible at a distance of 150 metres;

(b)        the driver of any such vehicle on the roadway of a public road shall stop such vehicle and, where possible, drive it off the roadway if it be necessary in order to allow other vehicular traffic to pass;

(c)        where such vehicle—

(i)         exceeds the overall length prescribed in regulation 221;

(ii)        encroaches beyond half the width of the roadway except when overtaking other vehicles or crossing bridges; or

(iii)       is more than 2 comma 6 metres but less than 3 and a half metres wide,

2 flags of red cloth shall be displayed not less than 600 millimetres by 600 millimetres in such manner as to indicate its abnormal length or width and such flags shall be suspended from the vehicle transversely to the direction of travel, but the vehicle may be fitted with amber flashing lights in lieu of such flags; and

(d)        the overall width of any such vehicle shall not exceed 4 and a half metres: Provided further that when the overall width exceeds 3 and a half metres—

(i)         such vehicle shall not normally encroach beyond half the width of the roadway except when overtaking other vehicles or crossing bridges; and

(ii)        if such vehicle does encroach beyond half the width of the roadway, 2 escort vehicles with the headlamps switched on and displaying red flags of the size prescribed in paragraph (c) or amber flashing lights shall be provided, one travelling in front and one to the rear of such vehicle;

(e)        no such vehicle shall be operated on a freeway.

Alta

Alta Swanepoel & Associates

What do I need to know about driving a tractor on a public road?