22Windscreen wipers and washers

22 Windscreen wipers and washers

22 Windscreen wipers and washers

(1) A heavy motor vehicle with 3 or more wheels fitted with a windscreen must be fitted with at least 1 windscreen wiper unless the vehicle’s driver in the normal driving position can obtain an adequate view of the road ahead of the vehicle without looking through the windscreen.

(2) At least 1 windscreen wiper fitted to a heavy motor vehicle mentioned in subsection (1) must—

(a) be able to remove moisture from the part of the windscreen in front of the driver in the normal driving position to allow the driver an adequate view of the road ahead of the vehicle when the windscreen is wet; and

(b) be able to be operated from the normal driving position; and

(c) for a vehicle built after 1934—continue to operate until the wiper is switched off; and

(d) for a vehicle built after 1959, the normal driving position of which is nearer 1 side of the vehicle than the other—

(i) be able to remove moisture from the part of the windscreen in front of the driver in the normal driving position, and a corresponding part of the windscreen on the other side of the centre of the vehicle, to allow the driver an adequate view of the road ahead of the vehicle when the windscreen is wet; and

(ii) if the windscreen wiper is operated by engine manifold vacuum—be connected to a vacuum reservoir or vacuum pump to maintain the efficient operation of the wiper while the vehicle is in motion.

(3) If a heavy motor vehicle mentioned in subsection (1) was built after 1982, it must also be fitted with a windscreen washer that—

(a) can direct water onto the windscreen within the area swept by a windscreen wiper so the wiper can spread the water to all of the area swept by the wiper; and

(b) is able to be operated from the normal driving position.

(4) In this section—

engine manifold vacuum, in relation to a vehicle, means low air pressure in the vehicle’s engine produced by inducting air, or a mix of air and fuel, into the vehicle’s engine.

vacuum pump means a pump fitted to a vehicle that generates low air pressure to help the mechanical functioning of other equipment fitted to the vehicle.

vacuum reservoir, in relation to a vehicle, means a device designed to store air at a low pressure to help the mechanical functioning of other equipment fitted to the vehicle.