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11 1933

ROAD TRAFFIC ACT, 1933

PART X.

Lighting of Vehicles.

Lights to be carried on vehicles.

161. —(1) There shall be carried in the prescribed position and manner on every mechanically propelled vehicle (other than a mechanically propelled bicycle to which the next sub-section of this section applies), while it is on any road during lighting-up hours, the following lamps duly lit and in efficient condition, that is to say:—

(a) two lamps each showing to the front of such vehicle a white light visible from a reasonable distance; and

(b) one other lamp showing to the rear of such vehicle a red light visible from a reasonable distance.

(2) There shall be carried in the prescribed position and manner on every mechanically propelled bicycle used without any vehicle or attachment in the nature of a vehicle attached to the side thereof, while it is on any road during lighting-up hours, the following lamps duly lit and in efficient condition, that is to say:—

(a) one lamp showing to the front of such bicycle a white light visible from a reasonable distance; and

(b) one other lamp showing to the rear of such bicycle a red light visible from a reasonable distance.

(3) There shall be carried on every mechanically propelled vehicle, while it is on any road during lighting up hours, a lamp (which may be either a separate lamp or one of the lamps required by the foregoing provisions of this section to be carried on such vehicle) duly lit and so constructed and placed that it illuminates with a white light the identification mark under the Roads Act, 1920, carried at the rear of such vehicle.

(4) There shall be carried in the prescribed position and manner on every vehicle which is neither a mechanically propelled vehicle nor a vehicle drawn by a mechanically propelled vehicle, while it is on any road during lighting-up hours—

(a) one lamp duly lit and in efficient condition showing to the front of such vehicle a white light visible from a reasonable distance, and

(b) a red reflector in efficient condition and so fitted that when a light is impinging on such vehicle from the rear thereof such reflector is visible to a person in the rear of such vehicle and within a reasonable distance thereof, and

(c) if and when such vehicle is carrying a load projecting more than six feet to the rear of such vehicle, one other lamp showing to the rear of such vehicle a red light visible from a reasonable distance.

(5) Where a vehicle or attachment in the nature of a vehicle is rigidly, but not necessarily permanently, attached to a mechanically propelled bicycle, such bicycle and such vehicle or attachment shall be deemed to form one vehicle for the purposes of this section.

(6) Every regulation made under this Act prescribing any matter or thing which is referred to in this section as prescribed shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made and, if a resolution annulling such regulation is passed by either such House within the next subsequent twenty-one days on which that house has sat after such regulation is so laid before it, such regulation shall be annulled accordingly but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under such regulation.

Lights on drawing and drawn vehicles.

162. —(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the; next preceding section, the following provisions shall have effect in the case of a vehicle (whether it is or is not mechanically propelled) drawing one or more other vehicles on any road during lighting-up hours, that is to say:—

(a) where the distance between the drawing vehicle and the vehicle immediately drawn by it does not exceed five feet, no lamp showing a red light need be carried at the rear of such drawing vehicle and no lamp showing a light to the front need be carried on such drawn vehicle;

(b) where the distance between any two drawn vehicles does not exceed five feet, no lamp showing a red light need be carried at the rear of the first of such drawn vehicles and no lamp showing a light to the front need be carried on the second of such drawn vehicles;

(c) where the distance between the drawing vehicle and the vehicle immediately drawn by it or between any two drawn vehicles exceeds five feet, this Part of this Act shall apply to such drawing vehicle and drawn vehicle or such two drawn vehicles (as the case may be) as if they were respectively not drawing or being drawn by another vehicle.

(2) For the purposes of this section the distance between two vehicles shall be measured between the nearest points of such vehicles but so that the draw-bar, wire, or rope connecting such vehicles and the special fitting (if any) for the attachment of such draw-bar, wire, or rope shall not be deemed to form part of either vehicle.

Regulations in relation to lamps on vehicles.

163. —(1) The Minister may by order make regulations in relation to all or any of the following matters, that is to say:—

(a) restricting the number, position, colour, and character of the lamps which may be carried lit and the reflectors which may be carried on any vehicle or on any vehicle of a particular class on roads generally or on any particular class of roads or any particular road during lighting-up hours in addition to the lamps and reflectors (if any) which are required by or under this Part of this Act to be carried lit or to be carried on such vehicle while on any road during lighting-up hours;

(b) prescribing the number, colour, character, position and mode of attachment of the lamps which are to be carried lit and of the reflectors which are to be carried on every vehicle or on every vehicle of a particular class while carrying an overhanging or projecting load on any road during lighting-up hours in addition to or in substitution for all or any of the lamps which are required by or under any other provision of this Part of this Act to be carried lit thereon;

(c) restricting or controlling the power, height, width, and range of the light projected by the lamps carried lit thereon on any road or on any particular road or class of roads and the angle of projection of the beams of such light and the temporary or partial obscuration of any such light and the extent and mode of affecting such obscuration;

(d) restricting or controlling the alteration, while a vehicle is in motion on any road, or the direction in relation to such vehicle in which the light from any lamp carried lit on such vehicle is projected, whether such alteration is effected by a rotational or other movement of the lamp or any part thereof or by a deflection of the light projected therefrom;

(e) regulating and prescribing the number, colour, character, position, and mode of attachment of the lamps which are to be carried lit and of the reflectors which are to be carried on vehicles of any particular class either generally or in particular places or particular circumstances and either in addition to or substitution for all or any of the lamps which are required to be carried lit, and reflectors which are required to be carried on such vehicle by or under any other provision of this Part of this Act;

(f) making special provision in relation to vehicles or any particular class of vehicles while carrying specified goods of an inflammable or explosive nature or while in a place in which such goods are stored and for the purpose of such special provisions to exempt vehicles to which such provisions apply from any specified provisions of this Part of this Act;

(g) exempting from the operation of any particular provisions of this Part of this Act or any regulations made thereunder vehicles which are stationary in a place which is a parking place within the meaning of this Act.

(2) Every regulation made under this section shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made, and if a resolution annulling such regulation is passed by either such House within the next subsequent twenty-one days on which that House has sat after such regulation is so laid before it, such regulation shall be annulled accordingly but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under such regulation.

Offences and penalties under this Part of this Act.

164. —Every person who—

(a) fails or omits to carry lit on a vehicle driven by him or in his charge in ? public place during lighting-up hours the lamp or the several lamps (as the case may be) required by this Part of this Act or any regulation made thereunder to be carried lit on such vehicle in such place during such hours, or

(b) fails or omits to carry on a vehicle driven by him or in his charge in a public place during lighting-up hours such reflector (if any) as is required by this Part of this Act or any regulation made thereunder to be carried on such vehicle in such place during such hours, or

(c) does any other act, whether of commission or omission, which is a contravention of this Part of this Act or a regulation made thereunder and is not made punishable by any other section of this Part of this Act,

shall be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof, in the case of a first offence, to a fine not exceeding five pounds or, in the case of a second or any subsequent offence, to a fine not exceeding ten pounds.