Interpretation ID: nht72-2.20

DATE: 10/02/72

FROM: AUTHOR UNAVAILABLE; C. A. Baker for E. T. Driver; NHTSA

TO: The Grote Manufacturing Company

TITLE: FMVSS INTERPRETATION

TEXT: This is in reply to your letter of September 25 to Mr. Lewis C. Owen of this Office concerning the mounting of front clearance lamps on trucks and buses over 80 inches in width.

You are correct in your interpretation that these lamps must be mounted to indicate the overall width of the vehicle and as near the top as practicable. The width and height of the body in relation to that of the cab on a van type truck governs the proper location; therefore, each application must be judged individually. However, you are correct that the proper location should be the top front corners of the body when the height of the body is significantly higher than the cab.

Since this name question has been directed to us repeatedly and some manufacturers are installing cab mounted lights and others body mounted lights on quite similar vehicles, we anticipate that this aspect will be addressed in future rulemaking actions.