The Assn. of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), through its Agricultural Equipment Council, developed the Illustrative Guide to provide a visual reference for the lighting and marking requirements of agricultural equipment operated on public roads. This guide uses diagrams to help show the ANSI/ASAE S279.18 standard, making it easier to understand the required lighting and markings for different types of agricultural equipment.
Tractor Requirements
The front of the tractor must be equipped with 2 flash warning/turn signal indicator lamps. Front-facing beacons and yellow reflectors are optional.
2 rear-facing stop lamps are required for tractors traveling more than 25 mph. Tractors going 25-40 mph must also be equipped with at least one rear-facing Speed Identification System (SIS).
Additional rear lighting and marking requirements include 2 turning signals, one slow-moving vehicle (SMV) emblem, 2 red reflectors and 2 orange reflectors. The rear facing beacon is optional.
For enhanced visibility, it is recommended that the red-orange fluorescent material and red reflector be mounted horizontally and aligned as illustrated.
Sprayer Requirements
The front of the sprayer must be equipped with 2 flashing warning/turn signal lamps and yellow reflectors. Front-facing beacons are optional.
The rear must include the following: 2 flashing warning/turn signal lamps, 2 red stop lamps, 2 red-orange fluorescent materials, 2 red reflectors and one SMV emblem. A rear-facing SIS is required for sprayers going 25-40 mph. Rear-facing beacon is optional.
For enhanced visibility, it is recommended that the red-orange fluorescent material and red reflector be mounted horizontally and aligned as illustrated.
Combine Requirements
The front of the combine requires 2 flashing extremity warnings/turn signal lamps and 2 yellow retroflective materials. Front-facing beacons are optional.
For the rear side, it is required to have 2 flashing extremity warnings/turning signals, 2 red stop lamps, four red-orange fluorescent materials, four red reflectors, and one SMV emblem. Must have a rear-facing SIS if going between 25 and 40 mph. The rear-facing beacon remains optional.
For enhanced visibility, it is recommended that the red-orange fluorescent material and red reflector be mounted horizontally and aligned as illustrated.
The illustrative guide also includes lighting and marking requirements for tractors, sprayers and combines with an overall width of 3.7 meters or less, as well as front-and-rear mounted implements, towed implements and trailers. This article covers only a portion of the guide. For complete guidance and additional equipment visuals, the full AEM Illustrative Guide is available here.
