S.I. No. 128/1970 - Road Traffic (Lighting of Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations, 1970.

S.I. No. 128 of 1970.

ROAD TRAFFIC (LIGHTING OF VEHICLES) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 1970.

The Minister for Local Government in exercise of the powers conferred on him by sections 5 and 11 of the Road Traffic Act, 1961 (No. 24 of 1961) hereby makes the following Regulations.

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1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Road Traffic (Lighting of Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations, 1970.

(2) The Road Traffic (Lighting of Vehicles) Regulations, 1963 and 1967 and these Regulations shall be construed as one and may be cited as the Road Traffic (Lighting of Vehicles) Regulations, 1963 to 1970.

(3) These Regulations shall come into operation on the 1st day of September, 1970.

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2. In these Regulations—

" agricultural trailer " means a trailer, the property of a person engaged in agriculture, which is designed and used primarily for work on the land and which is used on a public road only incidentally to such work;

" articulated vehicle " means the combination of a mechanically propelled vehicle (other than a bicycle) and a drawn vehicle attached by partial superimposition and so constructed and attached that not less than 20 per cent of the weight of the drawn vehicle is borne by the mechanically propelled vehicle;

" dumper " means a vehicle (commonly known as a dumper) not exceeding 4 cubic yards in capacity, level loaded, designed and constructed for use on sites of construction works (including road construction and house and other buildings works) for the purpose of conveying concrete, rubble, earth or other like material and used mainly on sites, and which is used in a public place only for the purpose of—

(a) proceeding to and from the site where it is to be used, and when so proceeding neither carries nor hauls any load other than such as is necessary for its propulsion or equipment, or

(b) conveying concrete, rubble, earth or other like material for a distance of not more than half of a mile to and from any such site.

" goods trailer " means a trailer constructed or adapted primarily for the conveyance of goods or burden of any description;

" land implement " means a trailer which consists of any implement or machinery used with a land tractor in connection with agriculture, forestry, land-levelling, dredging or similar operations, and includes any trailer which carries only the necessary gear and equipment of the land tractor which draws it;

" land tractor " means a tractor designed and used primarily for work on the land in connection with agriculture, forestry, land levelling, dredging and similar operations, and—

(a) which is driven on a road only when proceeding to and from the site of such work and which when so driven hauls nothing except an agricultural trailer, a land implement, a land trailer or a trailer specially designed and constructed and used only for the conveyance of any implement or machinery used with the tractor in connection with its work on the land, or

(b) which is used on a road while it hauls nothing except an agricultural trailer;

" land trailer " means a trailer used for work on the land and used on a road only when proceeding to or from the site of such work;

" rear marking " means a marking which conforms to the specification in Schedule A to these Regulations;

" reflex reflecting material " means a material the reflected light from which is returned substantially within an angle not greater than ¹/₃° with an imaginary straight line connecting the material and the source of the light;

" side marking " means a marking which conforms to the specification in Schedule B to these Regulations;

" tractor " means a mechanically propelled vehicle (other than a cycle) which is not constructed to carry any load except the following :—

(a) water, fuel, accumulators and other equipment used for the purpose of propulsion,

(b) loose tools and loose equipment,

(c) in the case of a vehicle fitted with a crane, dynamo, welding plant or other special appliance or apparatus which is a permanent fixture, such appliance or apparatus, and

(d) in the case of a land tractor, a detachable platform, container or implement (being a platform, container or implement used primarily for farm work) together with the load on or in such platform, container, or implement;

" wheel ", in relation to a vehicle, means a wheel the tyre or rim of which, when the vehicle is in motion, is in contact with the ground.

3 Rearmarking.

3. (1) This article applies to—

(a) goods vehicles (not being dumpers) which exceed 2 tons in weight unladen;

(b) goods vehicles which are articulated vehicles and which exceed 2 tons in weight unladen;

(c) the drawing component of an articulated vehicle where such component exceeds 2 tons in weight unladen;

(d) tractors (not being land tractors);

(e) goods trailers which exceed 1 ton in weight unladen.

(2) This article shall not apply to—

(a) vehicles of the Defence Forces;

(b) fire brigade vehicles;

(c) vehicles in course of manufacture or completion which are lawfully being driven to or from the premises of vehicle assemblers, vehicle body builders or vehicle distributors.

(3) A vehicle to which this article applies shall, subject to the provisions of article 5 of these Regulations, at all times while used in a public place display at the rear of such vehicle a rear marking.

(4) Every rear marking displayed in accordance with this article on a vehicle in a public place shall be kept clean and unobscured.

4 Side marking.

4. (1) This article applies to the vehicles to which article 3 of these Regulations applies and also to a trailer in a combination of vehicles where such combination or such combination and its load exceed 11 metres in overall length.

(2) For the purpose of sub-article (1) of this article a load which projects more than 1,100 millimetres beyond the rear lamps of a vehicle shall be deemed to be part of the vehicle.

(3) For the purpose of sub-article (1) of this article the overall length of a combination of vehicles shall be the distance between verticle planes at right angles to the longitudinal axes of the drawing and drawn components comprised in such combination (while such axes are in the same vertical and parallel horizontal planes) and passing through the extreme projecting points at the front and rear of such combination.

(4) A vehicle to which this article applies shall, subject to the provisions of article 5 of these Regulations, at all times while used in a public place display on each side of such vehicle a side marking.

(5) A trailer to which this article applies shall display side markings as though it were a separate vehicle.

5 Exemptions for loading and unloading.

5. Where a vehicle is being loaded or unloaded in a public place and the loading or unloading is of such a nature as would be likely to cause damage to rear or side markings on the vehicle the provisions of sub-article (3) of article 3 or sub-article (4) of article 4 respectively of these Regulations shall not apply during the course of such loading or unloading.

SCHEDULE A

REAR MARKING

Specification of Rear Marking referred to in Article 1 of the Regulations.

1. Configuration

The rear marking shall be of the shapes, dimensions, patterns and colours shown in Diagram No. 1 or Diagram No. 2 in this Schedule and shall be symmetrical about a vertical axis at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

2. Format and Material

The stripes immediately adjacent to the inverted triangle and every alternate stripe thereafter shall be of red fluorescent material. The remaining parts of the rear marking including the triangles shall be of red reflex reflecting material.

3. Alternative Material

Optical reflex reflectors may be used as reflex reflecting material provided the dimensions of such reflectors comply with the dimensions of the reflex reflecting material required and shown in Diagram No. 1 or Diagram No. 2 in this Schedule.

4. Stripe Angle

Extending outwards in each direction from the longitudinal axis of the vehicle all stripes shall be inclined at the same angle to the lower horizontal edge of the rear marking. Such angle shall not be greater than 60° and not less than 45°.

5. Stripe Width

All stripes shall be of equal width which shall be not greater than 100 millimetres and not less than 50 millimetres. This requirement shall not apply to the central inverted triangle or to the triangle at each edge of the rear marking.

6. Marking Width

The vertical distance between the upper horizontal edge and lower horizontal edge of the rear marking shall not be less than 150 millimetres.

7. Marking Area

The rear marking shall have a surface area of not less than 3,000 square centimetres.

8. Manner of Affixing Rear Marking

The rear marking shall be affixed to the vehicle so that—

(i) it lies mainly in a transverse vertical plane at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle;

(ii) the lower edge is horizontal and is not less than 600 millimetres and not more than 2 metres above the ground;

(iii) the rear marking (except in the case of the drawing component of an articulated vehicle where such component has not more than two axles) is not more than 600 millimetres from the extreme rear of the vehicle;

(iv) each outer vertical edge of the rear marking is not more than 300 millimetres from the adjacent side of the vehicle;

(v) no part of the rear marking projects beyond the outermost point of each side of the vehicle;

(vi) the innermost vertical edges of a rear marking shaped as shown in Diagram No. 2 are not more than 650 millimetres apart;

(vii) the lower edges of all parts of a rear marking shaped as shown in Diagram No. 2 are at the same height above the ground;

(viii) in normal daylight conditions, the rear marking is clearly visible for a distance of 150 metres;

(ix) at night, in normal weather conditions, the reflex reflecting parts of the rear marking whether wet or dry are clearly visible for a distance of 150 metres when illuminated by the undipped headlamps of a vehicle.

SCHEDULE A

REAR MARKING

Diagram No. 1

Diagram No. 2

red reflex reflecting material

NOTE: These drawings are not drawn to scale, and are intended to show the shapes, dimensions, patterns and colours of rear markings.

SCHEDULE B

SIDE MARKING

Specification of Side Marking referred to in Article 1 of the Regulations.

1. Configuration

The side marking shall be of the shapes, dimensions, patterns and colours shown in Diagram No. I or Diagram No. 2 in this Schedule, and the central triangle shall be equidistant from the extreme front and the extreme rear of the vehicle.

2. Format

The stripes immediately adjacent to the central inverted triangle and every alternate stripe thereafter shall be of yellow fluorescent material. The remaining parts of the side-marking shall be of amber reflex reflecting material.

The pattern at each vertical edge of the side-marking may be a triangle of amber reflex reflecting material of a vertical height of not less than 150 millimetres.

3. Alternative Material

Optical reflex reflectors may be used as reflex reflecting material provided the dimensions of such reflectors comply with the dimensions of the reflex reflecting material required and shown in Diagram No. I or Diagram No. 2 in this Schedule.

4. Stripe Angle

Extending outwards in each direction from the principal lateral axis of the vehicle all stripes shall be inclined at the same angle to the lower horizontal edge of the side marking. Such angle shall not be greater than 60° and not less than 45°.

5. Stripe Width

All stripes shall be of equal width which shall be not greater than 100 millimetres and not less than 50 millimetres. This requirement shall not apply to the central inverted triangle and the triangles at each edge of the side marking.

6. Marking Width

The vertical distance between the upper horizontal edge and the lower horizontal edge of the side marking shall not be less than 150 millimetres.

7. Manner of Affixing Side Marking

Each side marking shall be affixed to the vehicle so that—

(i) it lies mainly in a vertical plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and not more than 450 millimetres from a similar vertical plane through the outermost point of the same side of the vehicle;

(ii) the lower edge is horizontal and is not less than 600 millimetres and not more than 2 metres above the ground;

(iii) the lower edges of the separate parts of a side marking shaped as shown in Diagram No. 2 are horizontal and each part is not less than 600 millimetres and not more than 2 metres above the ground;

(iv) no part of the side marking projects beyond the outermost points of the front and rear of the vehicle;

(v) the foremost vertical edge of the side marking is not more than 450 millimetres from the extreme front of the vehicle excluding, in the case of any trailer, the drawbar:

(vi) the rearmost vertical edge of the side marking (except in the case of a drawing component of an articulated vehicle) is not more than 450 millimetres from the extreme rear of the vehicle;

(vii) the shortest length of a side marking shaped as shown in Diagram No. 2 in this Schedule is not less than 450 millimetres;

(viii) in normal daylight conditions, the side marking is clearly visible for a distance of 150 metres;

(ix) at night, in normal weather conditions, all reflex reflecting parts of the side marking whether wet or dry are clearly visible for a distance of 150 metres when illuminated by the undipped headlamps of a vehicle.

8. Display

A side marking shall be Displayed over not less than 75 per cent of the overall length of the vehicle exclusive of—

(i) the sum of the diameters of the wheels on the appropriate side of the vehicle, and

(ii) in the case of any trailer, the drawbar, and in such a way that it is displayed over not less than 75 per cent of the distances between adjacent wheels on the appropriate side of the vehicle except where the centres of such wheels are less than 2.2 metres apart.

9. Alternative Display

Where a side marking is displayed on the drawing component of an articulated vehicle amber reflex reflectors or a strip of amber reflex reflecting material, in either case of a total reflex reflecting surface area of not less than 80 square centimetres extending to within at least 450 millimetres of the rear of such component, may be displayed on each side of the component and in such case the requirement of paragraph 7 (vi) of this Schedule shall not be applicable.

SCHEDULE B

SIDE MARKING

Diagram No. 1

Diagram No. 2

Note: These drawings are not drawn to scale and are intended to show the shapes, dimensions, patterns and colours of the side markings.

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Local Government

this 2nd day of June, 1970.

ROBERT MOLLOY,

Aire Rialtais Áitiúil.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These Regulations require that reflex reflecting and fluorescent markings shall be displayed on—

(a) the rears and sides of certain classes of goods vehicles and goods trailers,

(b) the sides of trailers e.g. boat trailers, caravans, etc. in any combination of vehicles where the overall length of the combination or of the combination and its load exceeds 11 metres.

The form of the markings and the manner in which they shall be displayed are set out in schedules to the Regulations.