Transport Manager control
- Record which rear and conspicuity markings apply to each vehicle and trailer type.
- Include their condition and visibility in driver and maintenance inspections.
- Review body repairs, tail-lift work and equipment changes for lost or obscured material.
- Brief drivers on projection markers and the escalation route for unusual loads.
Rear marker boards and conspicuity material are different controls, but both depend on selecting the correct specification, fitting it in the right place and keeping it effective in service.
Official Highway Code example
Scope to record
The Highway Code identifies rear markings for motor vehicles over 7,500kg maximum gross weight and trailers over 3,500kg maximum gross weight. It also explains when vertical markings are required for longer commercial vehicles and combinations.
Keep the applicable requirement with the fleet record so the inspection standard does not depend on memory. Specialist bodies, projections or dangerous-goods operations may introduce separate requirements that need their own source and procedure.
Inspection controls
Driver checks should cover presence, security, orientation, cleanliness, visibility and damage. Maintenance inspections should also look for deterioration, poor repairs and changes that have interrupted required conspicuity lines or obscured boards.
DfT and DVSA say conspicuity markings illuminate the outline of HGVs at night by reflecting following headlights. Use their detailed guidance to establish the scope, permitted arrangement and exceptions for the vehicle concerned.
Projection markers and load planning
The Highway Code states that side and end markers are both required where a load or equipment projects more than 2 metres beyond the front or rear. Confirm the complete regulatory arrangement for the projection rather than treating the marker as the only control.
Investigating a defect
Record the vehicle, trailer, marking type, location and condition. Check when it was last inspected, whether a repair or body change affected it, and whether driver reports were actioned. Correct the physical issue and review later inspection records to confirm that the revised check is being followed.
Official sources
- The Highway Code: Vehicle markings, updated 22 October 2025
- DfT and DVSA: HGV conspicuity marking rules, updated 24 July 2025
