Article 30 of the Saudi Traffic Law

المادة 30 من نظام المرور · الباب الثالث: أوزان المركبات وأبعادها وفحصها

The article requires a trailer, or a broken-down vehicle when it is towed, to be fitted with rear and side lights or reflectors that allow it to be seen.

Official text (Arabic)

This article has not been amended since the law was issued.

يجب تزويد المقطورة ، أو المركبة المتعطلة - عند سحبها - بأنوار أو عاكسات خلفية وجانبية تسمح برؤيتها.

This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers

Article 30 explained in plain English

This article addresses a known road hazard: a vehicle towed behind another that other drivers cannot see well. It therefore requires visibility aids in two cases:

The trailer.
The broken-down vehicle.

The text ties this duty to the time of towing with the words "when it is towed".

What is required in both cases is the same: lights or reflectors, which must be:

Rear and side together, not at the rear alone.
Such that they allow it to be seen; what counts is that visibility is actually achieved.

The text gives a choice between lights and reflectors, so either is enough once the purpose is achieved. The article does not state the specifications, number or colors of these lights or reflectors, or the penalty for failing to comply.

It is linked to Article 31, which requires large vehicles, such as trucks, buses and public works vehicles, and those drawn by animals, to be fitted with lights or reflective strips placed at the rear and on the sides. Together the two articles achieve one rule: that vehicles exposed to poor visibility are visible from the rear and sides. It is also linked to Article 29, which bans fitting or using unauthorized sound or light warning devices in vehicles; the lights required here are for safety, which does not mean any other lights may be fitted.

Anyone involved in an accident because of a towed vehicle that was not visible, or cited for a violation in that regard, may consult a lawyer who specializes in traffic matters.

Practical example

Ibrahim's car broke down at night on a highway near Qassim, and his friend decided to tow it with his own car. Under this article the broken-down car must be fitted, while being towed, with rear and side lights or reflectors that allow it to be seen.

Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.

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