S.I. No. 79/1965:

ROAD TRAFFIC (CONSTRUCTION, EQUIPMENT AND USE OF VEHICLES) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 1965.

ROAD TRAFFIC (CONSTRUCTION, EQUIPMENT AND USE OF VEHICLES) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 1965.

The Minister for Local Government in exercise of the powers conferred on him by sections 5 and 11 of the Road Traffic Act, 1961 (No. 24 of 1961) hereby makes the following Regulations:--

1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations, 1965.

(2) The Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) Regulations, 1963 ( S.I. No. 190 of 1963 ) and these Regulations shall be construed as one and may be cited together as the Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and use of Vehicles) Regulations, 1963 and 1965.

(3) In these Regulations "the Principal Regulations" means the Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) Regulations, 1963.

2. (1) Every vehicle to which this article applies shall be equipped with anchorages for seat belts for use by persons in the front seats of the vehicle.

(2) The anchorages referred to in sub-article (1) of this article shall comply in all respects (and in particular as respects their number, location, strength and construction) with the standard specification declared by the Institute for Industrial Research and Standards for Anchorage Points for Seat Belts in Motor Vehicles (Irish Standard 137 : 1965).

(3) This article applies to every passenger vehicle and station wagon having passenger accommodation for not more than eight persons exclusive of the driver and first registered on or after the 1st day of July, 1965.

3. Every semi-trailer and trailer exceeding 3½ tons in weight laden, and every goods trailer exceeding 1 ton in weight unladen, constructed on or after the 1st day of July, 1965 shall have indelibly stamped on the chassis in a position accessible to inspection the name of the manufacturer of such semi-trailer, trailer or goods trailer, the date of its construction or assembly and a serial number specially allotted by the manufacturer to such semi-trailer, trailer or goods trailer.

4. (1) Article 22 of the Principal Regulations shall not apply to mobile guns of the Defence Forces.

(2) Articles 23 and 26 of the Principal Regulations shall not apply to combat vehicles of the Defence Forces provided all possible steps are taken to ensure the safety of other road users.

(3) Article 27 of the Principal Regulations shall not apply to combat vehicles of the Defence Forces.

5. The Principal Regulations are hereby amended in the manner set out in the Schedule to these Regulations.

SCHEDULE.

AMENDMENTS OF THE PRINCIPAL REGULATIONS.

1. In sub-article (3) of article 11 "23 feet" shall be substituted for "22 feet".

2. In paragraph (a) of sub-article (2) of article 13 "sixty per cent" shall be substituted for "one half".

3. In sub-article (2) of article 17 "in this article" shall be inserted after "hereinafter".

4. In sub-article (2) of article 26 "either externally on the left side or internally" shall be substituted for "either internally or externally on the left side".

5. In article 28 after sub-article (2) there shall be added the following sub-article--

"(3) Save as provided in sub-articles (1) and (2) of this article, a vehicle shall not be equipped with a gong, siren, or other strident toned device, or with a bell".

6. In paragraph (1) of sub-article (2) of article 34 after "'all fuel tanks" there shall be inserted "shall be constructed of metal and be such and so maintained as to be reasonably secure against breakage and so that no accidental leakage of liquid or vapour can take place therefrom and all such fuel tanks".

7. In sub-article (2) of article 35 "Sub-article (1) of this article" shall be substituted for "This sub-article".

8. In article 35 after sub-article (3) there shall be added the following sub-article--

"(4) In this article, notwithstanding the provisions of article 18 of these Regulations, "vehicle" means any vehicle whether mechanically propelled or not".

9. In sub-paragraphs (i) and (ii) of paragraph (b) of sub-article (2) of article 42 "or half the weight laden of the drawing vehicle (whichever is the less) "shall be deleted.

10. In article 53 there shall be inserted the following definitions--

"entrance" means an entrance provided for the use of passengers;

"exit" means an exit provided for the use of passengers.

11. In paragraph (c) of sub-article (1) of article 68 after "wings" there shall be inserted "or, where no front wings are provided, the body".

12. In sub-article (2) of article 69 "shall not be less than "shall be substituted for "shall not exceed".

GIVEN under the Official Seal of the Minister for Local Government, this

twentieth day of April, 1965.

NEIL T. BLANEY,

Minister for Local Government.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These Regulations provide for the compulsory fitting of anchorages for seat belts in the front seats of passenger cars and station wagons having seating passenger accommodation for not more than eight persons exclusive of the driver and first registered on or after the 1st day of July, 1965. Provision is also made for the marking of the manufacturer's name and serial number and the date of construction or assembly on certain trailers and semi-trailers. Provision is also made for minor amendments of the Road Traffic (Construction, Equipment and Use of Vehicles) Regulations, 1963.