High visibility stop lights and marker lights.

[fred22]

My motorhome is a 1990 Autosleeper.

I have noticed that more modern motor homes have additional stop lights and marker lights(some have indicators) mounted high up on the body at the rear.

Similarly at the front they have white lights mounted high.

I have not seen any motorhomes the same age as mine recently so I don't know if my van is unique because it has neither.

Apart from being desirable from a safety point of view does anyone if these lights are required by law and, if they are, anyone know from what date?

If the legislation is post the age of my vehicle I cannot see it being retrospective and, in any case, it has always passed the MOT as it is.

[Keithl]

Hi Fred,

 

I knew there was some legislation covering high mounted front and rear side marker lights so I have done a bit of Googling and come up with the following quote which is a reworded extract from the Construction & Use Regulations.

 

"Vehicles (except those less than 2100 mm wide and those first used before 1st April 1991) must be fitted with two end outline marker lamps visible from the front and two visible from the rear. They must be positioned no more than 400 mm in from the outer edges of the vehicle and mounted at the front at least level with the top of the windscreen. They must show white lights to the front and red lights to the rear."

 

There is an exception to this where one light may be fitted on the side showing white to the front and red to the rear.

 

So there are 2 possible reasons why your MH doesn't have them fitted...

a) It's Pre 1991.

b) It's less than 2100 mm wide.

 

Legislation of this nature is very rarely retrospective hence you haven't had to fit them to pass the MOT.

 

PS If you want to try and read the C&UR then try Googling for it.

 

Keith.

[fred22]

Hi, thanks Keith, I Googled this item but all I could find was a reference to fitting high vis stripes to maintenance vehicles that stop on the highway.

You have answered my question in full, my van was registered in February 1990.,

I may well fit the side markers, when you are on the motorway it certainly makes your vehicle stand out .

Many thanks

Fred

[Keithl]

Hi again Fred,

 

Are you're talking about the high level 'side lights' front and rear or the orange side markers repeated along the side of a MH?

 

If it's the orange side markers then I got the wrong end of the stick.

 

I found during my Googling that side markers have to be fitted to vehicles over 6 m long and then must be spaced so that they start a maximum of 4 m from the front and end a maximum of 1 m from the rear and are repeated at a maximum spacing of 3 m and if more than 2 are fitted they are equally spaced. (What a mouthful!).

In other words on a 7 m MH that would mean a minimum of 2 side repeaters with the first no more than 4 m from the front and the rearmost no more than 1 m from the back.

 

Does that make sense or shall I try and find the website again to post a link?

 

Keith.

[cronkle]

Hi,

 

The Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989 Schedule 9 is where the requirements for side marker lights and their spacings are laid out.

 

However, Schedule 1 of the same regs lists the exceptions to those requirements. Amongst those are vehicles not over 6m in length, a vehicle first used before 1st April 1991 and a passenger vehicle. The definition of 'passenger vehicle' is laid down in the Construction and Use Regs 1986 as 'A passenger vehicle is a vehicle constructed solely for the carriage of passengers and their effects' and the Department of Transport include motor caravans within this. See their notes about converting a vehicle into a campervan.

 

The following link may be of use:

 

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1989/1796/contents/made

 

 

[fred22]

Hi Keith,

You got it right first time, I am looking at the small lights which fix to the side of the van, they have one bulb but a clear lens to the front and a red one to the rear.

Similar to item 260659603275 on ebay.

Thanks for the link cronkle

[Keithl]

Hi Mike,

 

Thanks for the additional exception of MH's.

I had wondered why our 6.5 m AutoTrail had not got side markers fitted whereas I have seen other makes with them fitted. All is now explained.

 

Am I right in thinking that the MH exception does not apply to high mounted front & rear end marker lights?

 

The C & U Regulations really are complicated and would benefit from an 'Idiots guide'.

 

Keith.

 

PS While I've been typing I've just seen Fred's reply and see he did mean the red and white lights!

[cronkle]

Keith,

 

The reason that I know this part of the Regs is that a similar query came up on another list a while ago. It was only when we found the exemptions that a number of people who had 'vans similar to yours stopped worrying!

 

As for the need for the higher rear lights I'll let you wade through Schedule 10. 8-)

 

Edit: and Schedule 1

[Keithl]

cronkle - 2010-09-06 8:41 PM

As for the need for the higher rear lights I'll let you wade through Schedule 10. 8-)

 

Cheers!!!