Question:
Good day Sir
I belong to a motorcycle association and a chapter of + 100 members who drive motorcycles. Most of the bikes the drivers have fitted aftermarket led spot/drive lights for safety so that they are more visible to car drivers during the daytime leaving them on.
My question regarding the above, is this now illegal ?
Answer:
I copy the regulation for you. See paragraph (b) of subregulation (1). Only head lamps conforming to that requirement are legal. The lamps must comply to a SANS specification 1046. Many after fitments do not conform to these requirements.
Reg 159. Head lamps
(1) No person shall operate on a public road—
(a) a motor vehicle, other than a motor cycle, a motor tricycle with one wheel in front or trailer, unless it is equipped in front on each side of its longitudinal centre line with—
(i) one head lamp capable of emitting a main beam and a dipped beam;
(ii) one head lamp capable of emitting a main beam and one head lamp capable of emitting a dipped beam; or
(iii) one head lamp contemplated in subparagraph (i) or head lamps contemplated in subparagraph (ii) and an additional head lamp capable of emitting a main beam;
(b) a motor cycle without a side car, motor tricycle with one wheel in front, unless it is equipped in front with—
(i) one head lamp capable of emitting a main beam and a dipped beam;
(ii) one head lamp capable of emitting a main beam and one head lamp capable or emitting a dipped beam, both of which are fitted in the same vertical plane; or
(iii) two headlamps, each capable of emitting a main beam and a dipped beam, both of which are fitted in the same horizontal plane; or
(c) a motor cycle with a side car, unless—
(i) the motor cycle is equipped in front with one head lamp contemplated in paragraph (b)(i) or head lamps contemplated in paragraph (b)(ii) or (iii); and
(ii) the side car is equipped with one parking lamp which complies with the provisions of regulation 164 or with one head lamp contemplated in paragraph (b)(i), subject to the proviso to regulation 161(4)(a).
(2) At least one head lamp contemplated in subregulation (1)(a) capable of emitting a dipped beam or a parking lamp complying with the provisions of regulation 164 shall be so fitted on each side of the longitudinal centre line of the motor vehicle concerned that the portion of the illuminating surface thereof furthest from the longitudinal centre line of the motor vehicle is not more than 400 millimetres from the outer edge of the front of the motor vehicle.
(3) The main-beam and dipped-beam of a head lamp fitted to a motor vehicle first registered on or after 1 January 2002, shall comply with the requirements of standard specification SANS 1046 “Motor vehicle safety: lights and light signalling devices installed on motor vehicles and trailers”, and standard specification SANS 1376 “Lights for motor vehicles”, Part 2: “Head lights”: Provided that the height of the dipped beam and headlamp of a light motor vehicle shall not exceed 1400 millimetres measured from the ground to the centre of the lamp.
Regards
Alta
Also view:
Lighting, Head Lamps and Spot Lights on Vehicles and Rules of the Road
Rules of the Road: If you ride a motorbike you MUST drive with lights on day and night! https://t.co/WhjeD0TuDT #ArriveAlive pic.twitter.com/v1aP96hwVB
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) August 7, 2017