Guidance

Windscreen wipers and washers on road vehicles

Published 1 May 2010

© Crown copyright 2010

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/windscreen-wipers-and-washers-on-road-vehicles/summary-of-the-requirements-for-windscreen-wipers-and-washers-on-road-vehicles

Legislation

This document provides general guidance and advice on the legislative requirements in Great Britain relating to windscreen wipers and washers on vehicles used on the road. These requirements are set out in full in Regulation 34 of The Road Vehicles (Construction & Use) Regulations 1986 (SI 1986 No. 1078).

General Requirements

Every vehicle fitted with a windscreen must have one or more efficient automatic windscreen wipers, unless the driver can obtain an adequate view of the road to the front without looking through the windscreen.

Every vehicle required to have a windscreen wiper must also have a windscreen washer, unless it is:

  • an agricultural vehicle first used before 1 June 1986
  • a tracked vehicle
  • a vehicle which cannot go faster than 20mph
  • a vehicle used to provide a local service (as defined in the Transport Act 1985)

All wipers and washers which are required to be fitted must be properly adjusted and maintained in efficient working order.

You should also be aware that Regulation 100(1) of The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 requires:

  • a motor vehicle, and all its parts and accessories
  • the number of passengers carried, and the manner in which any passengers are carried in or on a vehicle
  • the weight, distribution, packing and adjustment of the load of a vehicle

to be at all times such that no danger is caused, or is likely to be caused, to any person in or on a vehicle or on a road.

Further to this, Section 40a of The Road Traffic Act 1988 (as amended by Section 8 of the Road Traffic Act 1991) Part II, Using a Vehicle in a Dangerous Condition, states that:

A person is guilty of an offence if he uses, or causes or permits another to use, a motor vehicle or trailer on a road when:

(a) the condition of the motor vehicle or trailer, or of its accessories or equipment; or
(b) the purpose for which it is used; or
(c) the number of passengers carried by it, or the manner in which they are carried; or
(d) the weight, position or distribution of its load, or the manner in which it is secured

is such that the use of the motor vehicle or trailer involves a danger of injury to any person.

Consolidated versions of national regulations can be found in Sweet and Maxwell’s ‘Encyclopaedia of road traffic law and practice (construction and use) which should be available at most main reference libraries.

Copies of national regulations can also be purchased from:

TSO Orders/Post Cash Department,
PO Box 29, Norwich, NR3 1GN

Telephone: 0870 600 5522
Fax: 0870 600 5533
email - customer.services@tso.co.uk
website: http://www.tso.co.uk

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