Vehicle Lighting and Light-Signalling Devices

19. For the purposes of this chapter, the term:

“Driving lamp” means the lamp used to illuminate the road over a long distance ahead of the vehicle;

“Passing lamp” means the lamp used to illuminate the road ahead of the vehicle without causing undue dazzle or inconvenience to oncoming drivers and other road-users;

“Front position lamp” means the lamp used to indicate the presence and the width of the vehicle when viewed from the front;

“Rear position lamp” means the lamp used to indicate the presence and the width of the vehicle when viewed from the rear;

“Stop lamp” means the lamp used to indicate to other road-users to the rear of the vehicle that the driver is applying the service brake;

“Front fog lamp” means the lamp used to improve the illumination of the road in case of thick fog, falling snow, heavy rain or similar conditions;

“Rear fog lamp” means the lamp used to make the vehicle more visible from the rear in case of thick fog, falling snow, heavy rain or similar conditions;

“Reversing lamp” means the lamp used to illuminate the road to the rear of the vehicle and provide a warning signal to other road-users that the vehicle is reversing or about to reverse;

“Direction-indicator lamp” means the lamp used to indicate to other road-users that the driver intends to change direction to the right or to the left;

“Parking lamp” means the lamp used to indicate the presence of a parked vehicle; it may replace the front and rear position lamps;

“Marker lamp” means the lamp positioned near the outer edge of the overall width and as near as possible to the top of the vehicle for the purpose of clearly indicating the overall width. This signal complements the position lamps for some motor vehicles and trailers by drawing particular attention to their size;

“Hazard warning signal” means the signal given by the simultaneous functioning of all the direction-indicator lamps;

“Side lamp” means the lamp installed on the side of the vehicle so as to indicate its presence when viewed from the side;

“Special warning lamp” means the lamp intended to indicate either priority vehicles or a vehicle or a group of vehicles whose presence on the road requires other road-users to take special precautions, in particular, convoys of vehicles, vehicles of exceptional size and road construction or maintenance vehicles or equipment;

“Rear registration plate illuminating device” means the device ensuring the illumination of the rear registration plate; it may be made up of several optical elements;

“Daytime (running) lamp” means a lamp intended to improve the daytime conspicuity and visibility of the front of a vehicle in running use;

“Reflex-reflector” means a device used to indicate the presence of a vehicle by reflection of light emanating from a light source unconnected with that vehicle;

“Illuminating surface” means the orthogonal projection, in a transverse vertical plane, of the effective surface from which the light is emitted. For a reflex-reflector, the effective surface is the visible surface of the reflex-reflecting optical unit.

20. The colours of lights mentioned in this chapter should, as far as possible, be in accordance with the definitions given in the appendix to this Annex.

21.With the exception of motorcycles, every motor vehicle capable of exceeding 40 km (25 miles) per hour on level road shall be equipped in front with an even number of white or selectiveyellow driving lamps capable of adequately illuminating the road at night in clear weather [words deleted]. The outer edges of the illuminating surfaces of the driving lamps shall in no case be closer to the extreme outer edge of the vehicle than the outer edges of the illuminating surfaces of the passing lamps.

22. With the exception of motorcycles, every motor vehicle capable of exceeding 10 km (6 miles) per hour on level road shall be equipped in front with an even number of white or selectiveyellow passing lamps capable of adequately illuminating the road at night in clear weather. A motor vehicle shall be equipped with a device such that no more than two passing lamps may be lit simultaneously. Passing lamps shall be so adjusted as to comply with the definition in paragraph 19 of this Annex.

23. Every motor vehicle other than a two-wheeled motorcycle without side-car shall be equipped in front with two white front position lamps; however, selective yellow shall be permitted for front position lamps incorporated in driving lamps or passing lamps which emit a selective-yellow beam. These front position lamps, when they are the only lamps switched on at the front of the vehicle, shall be visible at night in clear weather without causing undue dazzle or inconvenience to other road-users.

24. (a) Every motor vehicle other than a two-wheeled motorcycle without side-car shall be equipped at the rear with an even number of red rear position lamps visible at night in clear weather without causing undue dazzle or inconvenience to other road-users;
      (b) Every trailer shall be equipped at the rear with an even number of red rear position lamps visible at night in clear weather without causing undue dazzle or inconvenience to other road-users. It shall, however, be permissible for a trailer whose overall width does not exceed 0.80 m to be equipped with only one such lamp if the trailer is coupled to a two-wheeled motorcycle without side-car.

25. Every motor vehicle or trailer displaying a registration number at the rear shall be equipped with a lighting device such that the number is legible at night in clear weather.

26. The electrical connections on all motor vehicles (including motorcycles) and on all combinations consisting of a motor vehicle and one or more trailers shall be such that the driving lamps, passing lamps, front fog lamps and front position lamps of the motor vehicle and the lighting device referred to in paragraph 25 above cannot be switched on unless the rearmost rear position lamps of the motor vehicle or combination of vehicles are switched on as well. Rear fog lamps shall be able to be switched on only if the driving lamps, the passing lamps or the front fog lamps are switched on. However, this provision shall not apply to driving lamps or passing lamps when they are used to give the luminous warning referred to in Article 32, paragraph 3, of this Convention. In addition, the electrical connections shall be such that the front position lamps of the motor vehicle are always switched on when the passing lamps, driving lamps or fog lamps are on.

27. Every motor vehicle other than two-wheeled motorcycles without side-car shall be equipped at the rear with at least two red reflex-reflectors of other than triangular form. When illuminated by the driving, passing or fog lamps of another vehicle, the reflex-reflectors shall be visible to the driver of that vehicle at night in clear weather.

28. Every trailer shall be equipped at the rear with at least two red reflex-reflectors. These reflex-reflectors shall have the shape of an equilateral triangle with one vertex uppermost and one side horizontal. No signal lamp shall be placed inside the triangle. These reflex-reflectors shall meet the requirements for visibility laid down in paragraph 27 above. However, trailers with an overall width not exceeding 0.80 m may be equipped with only one reflex-reflector if they are coupled to a two-wheeled motorcycle without side-car.

29. Every trailer shall be equipped at the front with two white reflex-reflectors of other than triangular form. These reflex-reflectors shall meet the [words deleted] visibility requirements laid down in paragraph 27 above.

30. A trailer shall be equipped at the front with two white front position lamps if its width exceeds 1.60 m. The front position lamps thus prescribed shall be fitted as near as possible to the extreme outer edge of the trailer.

31. With the exception of two-wheeled motorcycles with or without side-car, every motor vehicle capable of exceeding 25 km (15 miles) per hour on a level road shall be equipped at the rear with at least two red stop lamps, the luminous intensity of which is markedly higher than that of the rear position lamps. The same provision shall apply to every trailer which is the last vehicle in a combination of vehicles.

32. Subject to the possibility that exemption from all or some of these obligations may be granted in respect of mopeds by Contracting Parties which, in conformity with Article 54, paragraph 2, of the Convention, have declared that they treat mopeds as motorcycles:
      (a) Every two-wheeled motorcycle with or without side-car shall be equipped with one or two passing lamps satisfying the conditions regarding colour and visibility laid down in paragraph 22 above;
      (b) Every two-wheeled motorcycle with or without side-car capable of exceeding 40 km (25 miles) per hour on a level road shall be equipped, in addition to the passing lamp, with at least one driving lamp satisfying the conditions regarding colour and visibility laid down in paragraph 21 above. If such a motorcycle has more than one driving lamp, these lamps shall be situated as close together as possible.

33. Every two-wheeled motorcycle without side-car may be equipped at the front with one or two front position (side) lamps satisfying the conditions regarding colour and visibility laid down in paragraph 23 above. If such a motorcycle has two front position (side) lamps, these lamps shall be situated as close together as possible.

34. Every two-wheeled motorcycle without side-car shall be equipped at the rear with one rear position side lamp satisfying the conditions regarding colour and visibility laid down in paragraph 24 (a) above.

35. Every two-wheeled motorcycle without side-car shall be equipped at the rear with a non-triangular reflex-reflector satisfying the conditions regarding colour and visibility laid down in paragraph 27 above.

36. Subject to the possibility for Contracting Parties which, in conformity with Article 54, paragraph 2, have declared that they treat mopeds as motorcycles, to exempt two-wheeled mopeds with or without side-cars from this obligation, every two-wheeled motorcycle with or without sidecar shall be equipped with a stop lamp conforming to the provisions of paragraph 31 above.

37. Without prejudice to the provisions concerning lamps and devices prescribed for twowheeled motorcycles without side-car, any side-car attached to a two-wheeled motorcycle shall be equipped at the front with a front position (side) lamp satisfying the conditions regarding colour and visibility laid down in paragraph 23 above, and at the rear with a rear position (side) lamp satisfying the conditions regarding colour and visibility laid down in paragraph 24 (a) above and with a reflex-reflector satisfying the conditions regarding colour and visibility laid down in paragraph 27 above. The electrical connections shall be such that the front position (side) lamp and rear position (side) lamp of the side-car are switched on at the same time as the rear position (side) lamp of the motorcycle.

38. Motor vehicles with three wheels placed symmetrically in relation to the vehicle’s median longitudinal plane, which are treated as motorcycles pursuant to Article 1, subparagraph (n), of the Convention, shall be equipped with the devices prescribed in paragraphs 21, 22, 23, 24 (a), 27 and 31 above. However, on an electric vehicle the width of which does not exceed 1.30 m and the speed of which does not exceed 40 km (25 miles) per hour a single driving lamp and a single passing lamp are sufficient.

39. Every motor vehicle, except a moped, and every trailer shall be equipped with fixed direction-indicators with flashing amber lights, fitted on the vehicle in even numbers and visible by day and by night to road-users affected by the vehicle’s movements.

40. If front fog lamps are fitted on a motor vehicle they shall emit white or selective-yellow light, be two or, in the case of a motorcycle, one in number and be placed in such a way that no point on their illuminating surface is above the highest point on the illuminating surface of the passing lamps.

41. No reversing lamp shall cause undue dazzle or inconvenience to other road-users. If reversing lamps are fitted on a motor vehicle they shall emit white or selective-yellow light. These lamps shall be lit only when the reverse gear is engaged.

42. No lamps, other than direction-indicator lamps and special warning lamps, shall emit a winking or flashing light. Side lamps may wink at the same time as direction-indicator lamps.

42 bis. Special warning lamps shall emit a winking or flashing light. Colours of these lights should conform to the provisions of Article 32, paragraph 14.
 
42 ter. Every motor vehicle except motorcycles and every trailer shall be so equipped that they can emit a hazard warning signal.

42 quater. If rear fog lamps are fitted on a motor vehicle or a trailer they shall be red.

42 quinquies. Every motor vehicle and every trailer more than 6 m long shall be fitted with amber side reflex-reflectors.

42 sexties. Every motor vehicle and trailer more than 1.80 m wide may be fitted with marker lamps. Such lamps shall be mandatory if the width of a motor vehicle or trailer exceeds 2.10 m. If these lamps are used, there shall be at least two of them and they shall emit white or amber light towards the front and red light towards the rear.

42 septies. Every motor vehicle and trailer may be fitted with side lamps. If such lamps are fitted they shall emit amber light.

43. For the purposes of the provisions of this Annex:
      (a) Any combination of two or more lamps, whether identical or not, but having the same function and the same colour of light, shall be deemed to be a single lamp;
      (b) A single illuminating surface in the shape of a band shall be deemed to be two or an even number of lamps if it is placed symmetrically to the median longitudinal plane of the vehicle. The illumination of such a surface shall be provided by at least two light sources placed as close as possible to its ends.

44. Lamps on a given vehicle having the same function and facing in the same direction, shall be of the same colour. Lamps and reflex-reflectors which are of even number shall be placed symmetrically in relation to the vehicle’s median longitudinal plane, except on vehicles with an asymmetrical external shape. The intensity of the lamps in each pair shall be substantially the same.

45. Lamps of different kinds, and, subject to the provisions of other paragraphs of this Chapter, lamps and reflex-reflectors, may be grouped or incorporated in the same device, provided that each of these lamps and reflectors complies with the applicable provisions of this Annex.