Rear lighting legalities

It's the Road Vehicles Lughting Regulations that will answer your questions.

and en_2 through to en_29 There are some subsequent updates ... Statutory Instruments

1992 No.1217 and en_2 etc through to en_7 Not relevant in our case, I think.1994 No.2280 and en_2, en_3 and en_4.1996 No.3016 No.560 This may not be an exhaustive list.

Happy reading!

Perhaps someone has made a summary of the detail somewhere - I'd like to think so.

Can't say I understand any of that.

To summarize, I shall assume you are talking about a "normal" car or van. The Ammendments are largely irellevent as regards position in such vehicles.

You may have as many lamps as you like, but there is a minumum requirement of two for cars etc etc, one for a motorcycle etc - all fairly obvious.

The two (rear, stop, inidicator, fog*) lamps must be situated:

• see below

Horizontal position:

------------------------------- No more than 400mm in from the side of the vehicle [800mm if manufactured before 1985**]

Separation between lamps:

500 mm. (If the overall width of the vehicle is less than 1400 mm then a separation of 400 mm; or if width of vehicle is less than 800 mm then a separation of 300 mm) [No requirement at all for separation if built before 1985]

Vertical Position:

----------------------------- Maximum height above ground: 1500mm*** (unless the structure of the vehicle makes this impratical, then 2100mm - ie recovery trucks etc) [2100mm if manufactured before 1985]

Minimum height above ground: 350mm [no requirement if manufactured before 1985]

*Fog lamps maximum height is 1000mm, not 1500mm, minumum height 250mm not 350mm **For most requirements for vehicles manufactured before 1985, the regulations do not apply, but this is not to be taken that you can position the lights anywhere. They still have to be visible within sensible requirements, and meet certain angles of viewability ***Buses first used befor 1986 are exempt from the maximum height requirements for rear position lamps only. Brake/Indicator/Fog heights still apply.

Now, to answer your question about "additional lamps"

There is no limit to the number of lamps you can fit - but Mr plod will have a hairy fit if you have a rediculous number, obviously - but provided two of the lamps conform with the specifications laid out above, there is no requirement at all regarding the position of the additional lamps - again with regard to sensibilty, you cannot have the LH top indicator bulb on the RHS of the vehicle!

Any clearer?

You can fit high-level brake/indicator/tail lights to your vehicle, but you can't remove the low level ones if you do.

Alex

Are you sure? seems almost too sensible :)

j/k - that is also my understanding.