New York Codes, Rules and Regulations
Title 15 - Department of Motor Vehicles
Chapter I - REGULATIONS OF THE COMMISSIONER
Subchapter E - Required Markings Or Signs
Part 68 - Slow-moving Vehicle Emblem
Section 68.3 - Specifications and standards

Universal Citation: 15 NY Comp Codes Rules and Regs ยง 68.3

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 12, March 20, 2024

The SMV emblem shall consist of a fluorescent yellow-orange triangle with a dark red reflective border. The yellow-orange fluorescent triangle is for daylight identification. The reflective border defines the shape of the fluorescent color in daylight and becomes a hollow red triangle in the path of motor vehicle headlights at night. The emblem shall meet the following specifications:

(a) Size.

The dimensions shall be as shown in Figure 1 below.

Click to view image

(b) Visibility.

The SMV emblem shall be entirely visible in daylight and at night from all distances between 600 and 100 feet from the rear when directly in front of lawful upper beam of headlights. The operator and/or owner of a slow-moving vehicle shall exercise due care in the maintenance and cleaning of the emblem to assure it being plainly visible.

(c) Color and reflectivity.

(1) The spectrophotometric color values of the yellow-orange fluorescent material shall have a dominant wave length of 590-610 millimicrons and a purity of 98 percent before test. After durability test, (section 68.4[b]), the dominant wave length of the fluorescent material shall not change more than 10 percent.

(2) The reflective material shall have minimum luminance values at each of the angles listed per table 1.

TABLE 1

MINIMUM REFLECTIVE LUMINANCE VALUES, R *

Divergence Angle, degrees

Entrance Angle, degrees

Before Exposure test

After Exposure test
0.2 4 12.0 9.5
0.2 15 9.0 7.0
0.2 30 5.0 4.0
0.5 4 6.0 4.5
0.5 15 4.0 3.0
0.5 30 2.0 1.5

* Measurements shall be conducted in accordance with photometric testing procedures for reflex-reflectors as specified in Society of Automotive Engineers Standard, SAE J594, Reflex-Reflectors, and using 50 ± 5 square inches (322.6, ±32.3 square centimeters) of reflective material. The maximum dimension of the test surface shall not be greater than 1.5 times the minimum dimension. The reflective intensity (R) is computed from the equation.

R =(Lr) (d2)/(Ls) (A)

Where

R = reflective intensity, candlepower per incident foot-candle per square foot

Lr = illumination incident upon receiver at observation point, foot-candles

Ls = illumination incident upon a plane perpendicular to the incident ray at the test specimen position, foot candles

d = distance from test specimen to source of illumination = 100 feet (as specified in SAE J594), feet

A = area of test surface, square feet

(d) Durability.

Note:

These requirements are minimal and do not preclude the use of materials having superior performance.

(1) The reflective and fluorescent materials shall be tough, flexible and of sufficient thickness and strength to meet the requirements of sections 68.3 and 68.4. After the durability test, (section 68.4[b]), the fluorescent and reflective material shall show no appreciable discoloration, cracking, crazing, blistering, loss of durable bond, or dimensional change.

(2) Backing material for portable SMV emblems shall be equivalent to 0.040 inches (0.1016 millimeters) minimum thickness aluminum, 22-gauge (0.030 inches or 0.76 millimeters) minimum thickness mill-galvanized or coated sheet steel with the surface clean and receptive to a durable bond. The backing material shall be free of burrs.

Footnotes

* Measurements shall be conducted in accordance with photometric testing procedures for reflex-reflectors as specified in Society of Automotive Engineers Standard, SAE J594, Reflex-Reflectors, and using 50 ± 5 square inches (322.6, ±32.3 square centimeters) of reflective material. The maximum dimension of the test surface shall not be greater than 1.5 times the minimum dimension. The reflective intensity (R) is computed from the equation.

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