Road Traffic Act, 1933

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Construction and equipment of mechanically propelled vehicles.

15.—(1) The Minister may by order make, in relation to mechanically propelled vehicles and vehicles drawn by mechanically propelled vehicles, regulations in respect of all or any of the following matters, that is to say:—

(a) the construction of such vehicles;

(b) the conditions under which such vehicles may be used;

(c) the equipment, fittings, and instruments to be fitted to or carried on such vehicles, and in particular instruments for giving audible warning of the presence of such vehicles and instruments for giving visible warning to the rear of the intention of such vehicles to stop;

(d) the misuse of the machinery of such vehicles, including the use of such vehicles when the machinery thereof is in a defective condition;

(e) the discharge of soot, ashes, oil, steam or gas from such vehicles;

(f) the use and misuse of the equipment, fittings, and instruments fitted to or carried on such vehicles either voluntarily or in pursuance of this Act or regulations made thereunder;

(g) the amount of noise emitted by such vehicles or the load (if any) thereon whether occasioned by the construction or the defective condition of such vehicles or the machinery, equipment, fittings, or instruments thereof or by the use or misuse of such vehicles, machinery, equipment, fittings, or instruments or by the nature, packing or stowage of the load (if any) carried on such vehicles;

(h) the internal furnishing and fitting of public service vehicles;

(i) the words, letters, figures, and other marks to be affixed to or painted on such vehicles and the manner and place in which such marks are to be so affixed or painted;

(j) the number of vehicles which may be drawn at any one time by a mechanically propelled vehicle or by a mechanically propelled vehicle of a particular class, and the method of attachment of vehicles drawn by a mechanically propelled vehicle to such vehicle and (where appropriate) to one another.

(2) Different regulations may be made under this section in relation to different kinds of mechanically propelled vehicles and different kinds of vehicles drawn by mechanically propelled vehicles.

(3) The Minister shall by the regulations made by him under this section provide for the compulsory carrying on every mechanically propelled vehicle of a proper instrument for giving audible warning of the presence of such vehicle.

(4) It shall not be lawful for any person to use on any road a mechanically propelled vehicle to which regulations made under this section and for the time being in force apply and which does not comply in all respects with such regulations or to draw by means of a mechanically propelled vehicle on any road a vehicle to which regulations made under this section and for the time being in force apply and which does not comply in all respects with such regulations.

(5) Every person who uses a mechanically propelled vehicle in contravention of this section or who draws a vehicle by means of a mechanically propelled vehicle in contravention of this section or does any act (whether of commission or omission) which is a contravention of a regulation made under this section shall be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding ten pounds.

(6) In this Act the expression “regulations for the construction and equipment of mechanically propelled vehicles” means the regulations made under this section and for the time being in force in relation to the vehicle or class of vehicles in relation to which the expression is used.

(7) Every regulation made under this section shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made, and if a resolution annulling such regulation is passed by either such House within the next subsequent twenty-one days on which that House has sat after such regulation is so laid before it, such regulation shall be annulled accordingly but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under such regulation.