§ 52 StVZO
(1) In addition to the headlamps prescribed in § 50 for illuminating the carriageway, multi-track motor vehicles may be equipped with two fog lamps for white or bright yellow light, motorbikes, including those with sidecars, with only one fog lamp. They must not be mounted higher than the dipped-beam headlamps on the vehicle. If multi-track motor vehicles are fitted with fog lamps where the outer edge of the light-emitting surface is more than 400 mm from the widest point of the vehicle outline, the fog lamps must be switched in such a way that they can only be switched on together with the dipped beam. Fog lamps must be adjustable and attached to suitable parts of the vehicle in such a way that they cannot move unintentionally. They must be adjusted in such a way that they are unlikely to dazzle other road users. Glare is considered to have been eliminated if the illuminance at a distance of 25 m in front of each individual fog lamp on a plane perpendicular to the road at the height of the centre of the headlamp and above does not exceed 1 lx at nominal voltage at the terminals of the headlamp.
(2) A searchlight for white light is permitted. The power consumption must not exceed 35 W. It may only be switched on at the same time as the tail lights and the licence plate illumination.
(3) One or more beacons for blue flashing light - rotating beacon - may be fitted:
- Motor vehicles used by the law enforcement service of the police, military police, federal police, customs service, Federal Office for Goods Transport or the Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation, in particular command vehicles, patrol vehicles, team transport vehicles, traffic accident vehicles and homicide investigation vehicles,
- emergency and command vehicles of fire brigades and other units and facilities of civil defence and rescue services,
- Motor vehicles that are recognised as accident assistance vehicles of public transport companies with track-guided vehicles, including trolley buses, according to the vehicle registration document,
- motor vehicles of the rescue service that are specially equipped for patient transport or emergency rescue and are recognised as ambulances according to the vehicle registration document.
Beacons for blue direction indicators with a main direction of radiation to the front or rear are permitted on motor vehicles in accordance with sentence 1, but in the case of multi-lane vehicles only in conjunction with beacons for blue direction indicators - rotating beacons.
(3a) Motor vehicles of the law enforcement service of the military police, the federal and state police forces and the customs investigation service may have the following beacons and signalling devices:
- Stop signal,
- forwards-acting signalling devices for red light lettering and
- rear-acting signalling devices for red or amber lettering.
Motor vehicles of the enforcement service of the Federal Office for Goods Transport may be equipped with a rear-acting signalling device for red flashing lights. It must not be possible to operate the beacons for red flashing light and blue flashing light together. Fluorescent or retroreflective films may be used in addition to the signalling devices.
(4) May be fitted with one or, if horizontal and vertical visibility (geometric visibility) so requires, several flashing amber beacons - rotating beacons:
- Vehicles which are used for the construction, maintenance or cleaning of roads or road facilities or for refuse collection and which are labelled with red and white warning markings (safety markings) which must comply with the DIN 30710 standard, March 1990 edition,
- motor vehicles that are suitable for breakdown assistance due to their design or equipment and are recognised as breakdown assistance vehicles according to the vehicle registration document. In preparation for its decision, the licensing authority may order the submission of an expert opinion from an officially recognised expert or inspector for motor vehicle traffic as to whether the motor vehicle is suitable for roadside assistance according to its design or equipment. Recognition is only permitted for vehicles belonging to companies that provide commercial or in-house breakdown assistance, automobile clubs and associations of the transport industry and automobile insurers,
- Vehicles with an unusual width or length or with an unusually wide or long load, provided that the authorising authority has prescribed the use of beacons,
- Vehicles which, due to their equipment, are equipped as heavy or large-capacity transport escort vehicles and are recognised according to the vehicle registration document. Other escort vehicles may be fitted with removable beacons, provided that the authorising authority has specified that the beacons must be fitted.
(5) Ambulances (paragraph 3 number 4) may be equipped with a special lighting device (e.g. Red Cross light) that only works to the front in order to indicate the intended use of the vehicle. The lighting device must not have a headlight effect.
(6) Motor vehicles in which a doctor is travelling to provide assistance in emergencies may be fitted with a forward and rearward-facing sign on the roof with the inscription "Arzt Notfalleinsatz" (emergency doctor) in black on a yellow background, which emits a yellow flashing light; this only applies if the doctor is authorised to carry the sign. Authorisation to display the sign is granted on application by the licensing authority; it decides after consulting the competent medical association. The authorised person receives a certificate which must be carried during the journey and handed over to the responsible persons for inspection on request.
(7) Multi-track vehicles may be fitted with one or more lights to illuminate work equipment and work sites (worklights). Work lights may not be used while the vehicle is travelling. By way of derogation from sentence 2, work lights may also be switched on while driving on vehicles used for the construction, maintenance or cleaning of roads or facilities in the road area or for refuse collection if the journey is part of the work process. Work lights may only be switched on if they do not dazzle other road users.
(8) Door safety lights for red light that shine backwards when the vehicle doors are opened are permitted; red retro-reflective devices may also be used for the same purpose.
(9) Awning lights on caravans and motorhomes are permitted. They may not be used while driving and may only be switched on if they are not expected to dazzle road users on public roads.
(10) Motor vehicles in accordance with paragraph 3 number 4 may be fitted with horizontally encircling stripes in fluorescent red in accordance with DIN 6164, Part 1, February 1980 edition.
(11) Motor vehicles according to paragraph 3 sentence 1 numbers 1, 2 and 4 may be equipped with a rear warning system consisting of a maximum of three pairs of horizontally rear-facing amber flashing lights in addition to beacons for blue flashing lights - rotating beacons - and beacons for blue flashing lights with a main direction of radiation to the front. The beacons for amber flashing lights with a main direction of emission must
- be type-approved in accordance with category X of number 1.1.2 of ECE Regulation No. 65 on uniform provisions concerning the approval of beacons for direction indicators for motor vehicles and their trailers (BGBl. 1994 II p. 108),
- flash synchronously and
- be fitted in the upper part of the rear of the vehicle symmetrically to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The reference axis of the lights must be parallel to the vehicle's centre of gravity on the road.
It must be possible to switch on the rear warning system independently of the other vehicle lighting and it may only be operated when the vehicle is stationary or travelling at walking speed. The operation of the rear warning system must be indicated by an indicator light in the driver's cab. A clearly visible notice must be affixed stating that the rear warning system may only be used to secure the scene and may only be switched on when the vehicle is stationary or travelling at walking speed.
Source: Quelle: https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stvzo_2012/__52.html (translated)
