Vol. 564 No. 5
303 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Transport the position regarding the implementation of new regulations for the certification of lighting on vehicles; if he will provide detailed clarification on the proposals to enforce the standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9587/03]
The lighting requirements for motor vehicles are set out in the Road Traffic (Lighting of Vehicles) Regulations 1963 to 1996. These regulations provide, inter alia, that headlamps operating on dipped beam shall be incapable of dazzling a person more than 25 feet away from the headlamp and in a specified position, which approximates to that of the driver of an oncoming vehicle. The regulations also provide that the beams of light from headlamps, when dipped, shall be capable of illuminating the road for 100 feet in front of the vehicle at night time in clear weather.
Headlamp alignment is one of the items examined as part of the NCT. As a result of the phased implementation of the NCT, test failure for light alignment reasons does not at present constitute a reason for refusal of a test certificate. Nevertheless, the owner of a vehicle with misaligned lights is obliged to remedy the defect.
It is the intention that the remaining "fail advisory" test items, including headlight alignment, will become "fail refusal" reasons from 1 June 2003. The values for headlight alignment specified in the Department's national car test, NCT, manual were determined by reference to the statutory requirements.
