In your Know the Law column last week (CM August
Page 36
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13) under the subject of the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations the author implied that headlamps on motor vehicles must be lit on roads in built-up areas during the hours of darkness. Surely he should have said that headlamps are required on unlit roads after darkness?
AA The requirement of the regulations is that all motor vehicles must have their headlamps illuminated during the hours of darkness when travelling on unlit roads. For the purpose of the lighting regulations, unlit roads are those which have no street lighting at all or which have street lights placed more than 200 yd apart.
The only exceptions to this requirement apply in conditions of fog or falling snow when two auxiliary lamps (eg fog lamps) positioned so as to conform with the regulations may be illuminated instead of the headlamps; if a vehicle is being towed by another vehicle; if a vehicle is fitted with a snow plough blade in front or, in the case of a psv first used before October 1 1969. it need only have one headlamp illuminated in normal weather, or one fog lamp illuminated during conditions of fog or falling snow.
In all other cases, normal vehicles travailing on unlit roads must have both headlamps illuminated.