ADR Transportation and Dangerous Goods Legislation

ADR Transportation: Key Rules for the Safe Carriage of Dangerous Goods

ADR transportation covers the carriage of dangerous goods by road under the Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR). The Agreement was done at Geneva on 30 September 1957 under the auspices of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and entered into force on 29 January 1968. It was amended by the Protocol amending article 14 (3), done at New York on 21 August 1975, which entered into force on 19 April 1985.

As of 1 January 2021, the word “European” was removed from the title of the Agreement, which is now officially called the “Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road”.

The Agreement itself is short and simple. Its key provision, Article 2, states that apart from some excessively dangerous goods, other dangerous goods may be carried internationally in road vehicles subject to compliance with:

Annexes A and B are regularly amended and updated, generally every two years. Following the amendments that entered into force on 1 January 2025, a revised consolidated version has been published as document ECE/TRANS/352, Vol. I and II (ADR 2025). Under the transitional measures in 1.6.1.1, the previous edition (ADR 2023) could continue to be used until 30 June 2025.

The structure is consistent with that of the United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, Model Regulations, the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (of the International Maritime Organization), the Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (of the International Civil Aviation Organization) and the Regulations concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail (of the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail). The layout is as follows:

Annex A: General provisions and provisions concerning dangerous articles and substances

Part 1 - General provisions
Part 2 - Classification
Part 3 - Dangerous goods list, special provisions and exemptions related to limited and excepted quantities
Part 4 - Packing and tank provisions
Part 5 - Consignment procedures
Part 6 - Requirements for the construction and testing of packagings, intermediate bulk containers (IBCs), large packagings, tanks and bulk containers
Part 7 - Provisions concerning the conditions of carriage, loading, unloading and handling

Annex B: Provisions concerning transport equipment and transport operations

To ensure harmonisation in international transport and the smooth functioning of the internal market, Annexes A and B of ADR have also been adopted by the EU. Today, the carriage of dangerous goods by road, rail and inland waterway within the EU is governed by Directive 2008/68/EC, which also applies ADR, RID and ADN to national transport in the Member States. This Directive replaced the earlier Directive 94/55/EC.

The carriage of dangerous goods involves many points that require attention, such as the vehicles used, the training of their drivers, packaging, and the compliance of the companies carrying dangerous goods with ADR legislation. The standards and rules established for this purpose cover:

Properties of the goods to be carried, divided into 9 main classes, and the test methods used to identify them;
Information in the Dangerous Goods List such as the UN number, name and description, class, classification code, packing group, labels, packing instructions and special provisions, ADR tank code and hazard identification number;
Provisions concerning packing;
Consignment procedures such as marking, labelling and documentation;
Requirements for tank manufacture, equipment, type approval, inspection and testing;
Provisions concerning carriage, filling, unloading and handling;
Rules, equipment, operation and documents that carriers must comply with;
Requirements for vehicle construction and type approval.

ADR in Türkiye

Türkiye’s accession to ADR was approved by Law No. 5434. Today, the rules on the carriage of dangerous goods by road are set out in the Regulation on the Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road, prepared by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure and published in Official Gazette No. 31870 of 18 June 2022. The Regulation, which is based on the provisions of ADR, was amended in 2025.

Key obligations within the scope of ADR transportation include:

Classification of dangerous goods according to ADR, and determination of the UN number, packing group and proper shipping name
Marking and labelling of packages in line with ADR, and preparation of transport documents
Appointment of a Dangerous Goods Safety Adviser (DGSA, known in Türkiye as TMGD) for activities within the scope of the Regulation
An ADR certificate of approval for tank vehicles and certain other vehicles, issued under Part 9 of ADR and valid for no more than one year
ADR training for drivers carrying dangerous goods and the SRC5 professional competence certificate

The transport information in section 14 of the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) – UN number, UN proper shipping name, transport hazard class, packing group and environmental hazards – must also be consistent with ADR. Doruksistem helps you prepare your SDSs and labels in line with this information.

Driver Training

Training provided within the scope of ADR transportation is essential for applying the existing rules, and the training of drivers of vehicles carrying dangerous goods comes first.

Chapter 8.2 of ADR contains the provisions on the training and certification of drivers of vehicles carrying dangerous goods. Accordingly, these drivers must complete appropriate professional training on the carriage of dangerous goods and obtain a certificate issued by the competent authority.

The main purpose of driver training is to make drivers aware of the hazards involved in the carriage of dangerous goods, to minimise the likelihood of an incident and, if one occurs, to take the measures necessary to protect themselves, the public and the environment and to limit its effects. To obtain the training certificate, candidates must pass an examination approved by the competent authority.

The training should cover at least the following topics:

General requirements governing the carriage of dangerous goods
Main types of hazard
Appropriate protective and safety measures against the hazards
What to do after an accident or incident (first aid, road safety, use of protective equipment, precautions and conduct of the driver)
Labelling and marking to indicate danger, including the marking of vehicles
What a driver carrying dangerous goods should and should not do (e.g. the ban on smoking)
Precautions to be taken when loading and unloading dangerous goods (load securing, compliance with mixed loading prohibitions)

Conclusion

ADR ensures that dangerous goods are carried on public roads safely and in an orderly manner, without harming human health, other living beings or the environment. To achieve this, it requires not only standards for the manufacture and maintenance of vehicles but also the information and training of the people who operate them and of those travelling with them.

Contact us for the classification of your dangerous goods and for preparing SDSs that are consistent with ADR in your ADR transportation processes.