PPP-65 DOT Rules of the Road - Purdue Pesticide Programs ...

Emergency Equipment
Commercial motor vehicles must be equipped with fire extinguishers
and spare fuses (for brake lights, etc.) as well as emergency flares or
three red emergency triangles. Fire extinguishers must be securely mounted
on the vehicle, yet easily accessible. The requirement is one National Fire
Protection Association extinguisher rated 5 B:C or more, or two fire extinguishers
rated 4 B:C or more. A fire extinguisher with a minimum rating of 10
B:C is required for vehicles placarded for hazardous materials.
Retroreflective Tape
- 53 -
You have a choice of three reflective
triangles (left) or liquid-burning flares.
Because flares have a limited life,
most carriers elect to use emergency
reflective triangles; but if you choose
flares you must equip each vehicle
with enough to last for the most
time-consuming breakdown imaginable.
Flares may not be used if the
materials in transport are explosive,
combustible, or flammable.
Regulations now require trailers to be marked with retroreflective tape,
more commonly referred to as conspicuity tape, to make them more
visible at night. All trailers and semitrailers with Gross Vehicle Weight Ratings
(GVWRs) greater than 10,000
pounds and widths of 80 inches or
more must be marked with retroreflective
tape. The tape must cover
at least 50 percent of the length of
each side of the trailer and be evenly
distributed across the length.
Rear tape markings are also required.
The lower rear portion of a trailer must
have reflective tape extending the
Vehicle