by Les Oldridge AIRTE, AMIMI
Page 50
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Special lamps on breakdown vehicles
PROVIDING certain conditions are complied with, Regulation 45 and 45A of the Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1964 permit the use of flashing amber lights and swivelling spot lamps on breakdown vehicles. The normal lamps required by all vehicles must, of course, be carried. The Regulations under discussion are concerned only with the additional lamps a recovery vehicle may use.
The amber flashing lamps, similar except for colour, to the blue flashing lamps used by police and fire service vehicles, must be fitted as near as possible to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and not less that 5ft from the ground. This should present no problem as the obvious place for the lamp is in a central position on the top of the cab, which will be over 5ft from the ground on vehicles suitabld for recovery work. The bulb must not exceed 36W and the rate of flash must be between 60 and 150 times per minute.
At first thoughts one would consider that the purpose of such a lamp is to facilitate the movement of the breakdown lorry through heavy traffic by warning other road users of the urgency of its journey on the way to the scene of the breakdown, or, of its trailing load, when towing the disabled vehicle back to the workshops. Such is Sot the case. The lamp can only be used in the immediate vicinity of the breakdown or accident and at no other, time. It would seem that the Regulation is intended to permit a lamp to be used to provide a warning of the obstruction caused by the breakdown to approaching traffic and for no other purpose.
White swivelling lamps for illuminating the scene of an accident or breakdown are also permitted. They must be fitted at least 5ft from the ground and can only be used in the immediate vicinity of the breakdown. while the amber lamp, previously described, is illuminated. They may be used while the vehicle is in motion but the person using the light must ensure that no person driving another vehicle is dazzled.
To summarize, amber flashing and swivelling white lights may be carried on breakdown lorries but only used in the immediate vicinity of an accident or breakdown. The latter can only be used while the amber light is illuminated and it must not dazzle other road users. The wattage of the bulb. in the amber light must not exceed 36W but that in the white light is not specified.