Transcript Title of presentation sub-title Date of presentation

MOTORCYCLE SAFETY
MOTOR CYCLE LAMP COLOUR
LEGISLATION AND LAW ADMINISTRATION SWG
PRTMCC
30 JULY 2013
INITIATION
Sips please check this out with David Frost at DOCS for his view
Regards
R
Robin Carlisle
Minister of Transport and Public Works
Western Cape Government
Telephone
+27 21 483 2430
Mobile
+27 83 264 9018
Address
9 Dorp Street Cape Town
Website
www.westerncape.gov.za
Email
[email protected]
OPENING STATEMENT
I am a biker and obey the rules of the road but the motorists don’t
care a hoot, as a result of nearly being knocked off my bike a
couple of months ago I have fitted an orange cover to my head
lamp as now the motorists can see one for kilometers away.
In the last 2 weeks I have been stopped at two different road
blocks in the Peninsula, the last being Sunday after the toy run and
told that it is illegal to have the orange cover on the head lamp
and was instructed to take it off or I would be issued with a fine as
the bike was not roadworthy .
OPENING STATEMENT CONTINUED
The cover is only used between sunrise and sunset, please could
you inform me as the what the law states regarding the usage of
the orange cover ( one is more visible to the motorists ).
If one may use the cover please could you mail me a letter on the
Traffic letter head stating that this is allowed and under what
circumstances so that when stopped again I can show the officer
that.
TRAFFIC RESPONSE
Unfortunately headlights may only emit a white light to the front.
This is one of that (sic) grey acts that actually can be a benefit to
the safety of the motorcyclist.
At this time unfortunately is illegal.
THE REALITY
REALITY STATEMENT
Orange Headlight Covers For Maximum Visibility
Safety on the road starts with seeing and being seen. Brighter
globes and/or spotlights are a great way of improving your vision.
For visibility, you can add an orange headlight cover. Originally the
orange covers were designed to improve visibility during offroad/dirt road use in dust and misty conditions. It worked so well
that more and more riders started using them on-road as well.
Although it definitely improves visibility, many still debates the
legality of riding on-road with such a cover.
REALITY STATEMENT CONTINUED
Orange Headlight Covers For Maximum Visibility
Using it on public roads is therefore not advisable, but on your own
risk.
The orange covers should also not be confused with proper
polycarbonate headlight protectors, usually fitted with brackets
away from the light.
The orange headlight covers attach to the light of the motorcycle
with velcro fastening rounds, supplied with the cover.
The orange covers are easily removable to clean your lights.
THE LAW
157. Vehicles to be equipped with certain lamps and times when
certain lamps to be lighted
(1) No person shall operate on a public road a motor vehicle
unless—
(a) all lamps fitted to a motor vehicle as contemplated in
regulations 159 to 184, are undamaged, properly secured, and
capable of being lighted at all times; and
THE LAW CONTINUED
(b) the head lamps, rear lamps and number plate lamps are kept
lighted during the period between sunset and sunrise and at any
other time when, due to insufficient light or unfavourable weather
conditions, persons and vehicles upon the public road are not
clearly discernible at a distance of 150 metres: Provided that the
provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to a motor vehicle
parked off the roadway of a public road or in a parking place
demarcated by appropriate road traffic signs or within a distance
of 12 metres from a lighted street lamp illuminating the public road
on which such vehicle is parked.
MORE OF THE LAW
(2) No person shall operate on a public road a motor cycle, a
motor cycle with a side car, a motor tricycle or motor quadrucycle,
unless the headlamp of such vehicle is lighted at all times: Provided
that the provisions of this subregulation shall not apply to a motor
cycle, motor cycle with side car, motor tricycle or motor
quadrucycle manufactured before 31 December 1960 which is
used only during the period from sunrise to sunset.
(3) A person operating a motor vehicle on a public road shall
extinguish the main-beam of the light emitted by the head lamp of
such vehicle if such main-beam could cause a dangerous glare to
oncoming traffic.
MORE OF THE LAW
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 item (i) or head lamps
contemplated in item (ii) and an additional head lamp capable of
emitting a main-beam;
MORE OF THE LAW
(b) a motor cycle without a side-car or a 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 of 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
LAMP LAW CONTINUED
(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).
LAMP LAW CONTINUED
(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 SABS 1046
“Motor vehicle safety specification for lights and light signalling
devices installed on motor vehicles and trailers”, and standard
specification SABS 1376 “Lights for motor vehicles”, Part 2: “Head
lights”.
LAMP COLOURS
181. Colour of lights
(1) Subject to the provisions of regulation 170 (1), 171 (1), 172, 175 or
176, no person shall operate
on a public road a motor vehicle which is fitted with or carries on it
a lamp which—
except in the case of a brake anti-lock warning light to the front of
a trailer, emits a light
which is not white, amber or yellow in colour towards the front;
emits a light which is not yellow or amber in colour towards either
side of the motor vehicle;
or
LAMP COLOURS
except in the case of a direction indicator or reversing lamp
complying with the provisions of these regulations, emits a light
which is not red in colour towards the rear.
(2) when two or more lamps of the same class emitting light in the
same direction are fitted to a vehicle they shall emit light of the
same colour.
Provided that no person shall operate on a public road a motor
vehicle fitted with any colour of lights other than the colour of lights
prescribed in terms of these regulations.
SABS SPECIFICATIONS
According to SABS 1046-1990
3.13 The colours of the light emitted by the lamps or reflectors are
as follows
- MAIN-BEAM (HEADLAMP)
- DIPPED-BEAM (HEADLAMP)
- FRONT FOG LAMP
White or Selective Yellow
White or Selective Yellow
White or Yellow
BIKER COMMENTS
I fitted an orange translucent perspex masks to my headlights.
I've prevaricated over this for ages, but after the Ceres 13 trip, (13
July 2008) I had to take action.
I had Robbie J in my mirrors quite a bit and his orange light masks
make a bike very distinctive in traffic and very visible.
For me who filters through traffic daily on the N2, R300 & N1 this is a
must have.
So I called in at Maizeys (Neptune street Paarden Eiland) and
picked up an off-cut of the translucent dayglo, cut and fitted a
mask.
HURT
All motorcycle riders need
•
•
•
•
•
•
training,
licensing,
citation-related driver improvement,
headlamps on at all times,
bright upper torso garments, and
head and eye protection to reduce accident involvement and
injury frequency and severity.
SHADES OF YELLOW
SELECTIVE YELLOW EXAMPLES
MAIL TO SABS
My interpretation is that if it is the colour that is an issue then selective
yellow is a mere different shade of amber and should be legal.
The issue of diffused light (lenses) is another matter as most cars and
bikes don’t have the traditional lense anymore but clear plastic (glass
covers).
I am not too clear on the orange coloured headlamp bulbs you
referred to, other than for indicators.
It is clear that bikes are more visible with such coloured screens/lenses/
covers on and it would in my view be a no-brainer not to do something
about it if possible.
Your input will be appreciated.
SABS RESPONSE
The compulsory specification for motor cycles is VC 9098, which
says the lights must comply to SANS 20050 - Uniform provisions
concerning the approval of front position lamps, rear position
lamps, stop lamps, direction indicators and rear-registration-plate
illuminating devices for vehicles of category L. SANS 20050 mentions
‘selective yellow’ for front position lamps and defines it by means of
colour co-ordinates. This means that ‘Orange’ or any other
variations will have to be tested to determine their colour coordinates to ascertain if they fall within the ‘selective yellow’ box. I
can imagine that there are many variations of ‘orange’ also, so it
will regretfully not be as simple as the fact that ‘orange’ could be
interpreted as a different shade of ‘selective yellow’.
SOME HURT FINDINGS
MARKET VARIATIONS
NEW PRODUCTS
MAIDS
MORE OF MAIDS
MAIDS AND LIGHT
MORE BIKER COMMENT
One needs only to take some time and stand on one of the bridges
over the NI ( Monta Vista ) between 6.30am and 7.30am as I did
the other morning and observe the difference between the white
and amber light, then there are those who don’t use their head
lamps at all and ride between the vehicles at a high speed.
HURT
1. Approximately three-fourths of these motorcycle accidents involved
collision with another vehicle, which was most often a passenger
automobile.
2. Approximately one-fourth of these motorcycle accidents were single
vehicle accidents involving the motorcycle colliding with the roadway or
some fixed object in the environment.
3. Vehicle failure accounted for less than 3% of these motorcycle
accidents, and most of those were single vehicle accidents where control
was lost due to a puncture flat.
4. In single vehicle accidents, motorcycle rider error was present as the
accident precipitating factor in about two-thirds of the cases, with the
typical error being a slideout and fall due to overbraking or running wide
on a curve due to excess speed or under-cornering.
5. Roadway defects (pavement ridges, potholes, etc.) were the accident
cause in 2% of the accidents; animal involvement was 1% of the accidents.
HURT
6. In multiple vehicle accidents, the driver of the other vehicle violated the
motorcycle right-of-way and caused the accident in two-thirds of those
accidents.
7. The failure of motorists to detect and recognize motorcycles in traffic is
the predominating cause of motorcycle accidents. The driver of the other
vehicle involved in collision with the motorcycle did not see the
motorcycle before the collision, or did not see the motorcycle until too late
to avoid the collision.
8. Deliberate hostile action by a motorist against a motorcycle rider is a
rare accident cause. The most frequent accident configuration is the
motorcycle proceeding straight then the automobile makes a left turn in
front of the oncoming motorcycle.
10. Intersections are the most likely place for the motorcycle accident, with
the other vehicle violating the motorcycle right-of-way, and often violating
traffic controls.
HURT
11. Weather is not a factor in 98% of motorcycle accidents.
12. Most motorcycle accidents involve a short trip associated with
shopping, errands, friends, entertainment or recreation, and the accident
is likely to happen in a very short time close to the trip origin.
13. The view of the motorcycle or the other vehicle involved in the
accident is limited by glare or obstructed by other vehicles in almost half of
the multiple vehicle accidents.
14. Conspicuity of the motorcycle is a critical factor in the multiple vehicle
accidents, and accident involvement is significantly reduced by the use of
motorcycle headlamps (on in daylight) and the wearing of high visibility
yellow, orange or bright red jackets.
15. Fuel system leaks and spills were present in 62% of the motorcycle
accidents in the post-crash phase. This represents an undue hazard for fire.
HURT
16. The median pre-crash speed was 29.8 mph, and the median crash
speed was 21.5 mph, and the one-in-a-thousand crash speed is
approximately 86 mph.
17. The typical motorcycle pre-crash lines-of-sight to the traffic hazard
portray no contribution of the limits of peripheral vision; more than threefourths of all accident hazards are within 45deg of either side of straight
ahead.
18. Conspicuity of the motorcycle is most critical for the frontal surfaces of
the motorcycle and rider.
19. Vehicle defects related to accident causation are rare and likely to be
due to deficient or defective maintenance.
20. Motorcycle riders between the ages of 16 and 24 are significantly
overrepresented in accidents; motorcycle riders between the ages of 30
and 50 are significantly underrepresented. Although the majority of the
accident-involved motorcycle riders are male (96%), the female
motorcycles riders are significantly overrepresented in the accident data.
HURT
21. Craftsmen, labourers, and students comprise most of the accidentinvolved motorcycle riders. Professionals, sales workers, and craftsmen are
underrepresented and labourers, students and unemployed are
overrepresented in the accidents.
22. Motorcycle riders with previous recent traffic citations and accidents
are overrepresented in the accident data.
23. The motorcycle riders involved in accidents are essentially without
training; 92% were self-taught or learned from family or friends. Motorcycle
rider training experience reduces accident involvement and is related to
reduced injuries in the event of accidents.
24. More than half of the accident-involved motorcycle riders had less
than 5 months experience on the accident motorcycle, although the total
street riding experience was almost 3 years. Motorcycle riders with dirt bike
experience are significantly underrepresented in the accident data.
25. Lack of attention to the driving task is a common factor for the
motorcyclist in an accident.
HURT
26. Almost half of the fatal accidents show alcohol involvement.
27. Motorcycle riders in these accidents showed significant collision
avoidance problems. Most riders would overbrake and skid the rear wheel,
and underbrake the front wheel greatly reducing collision avoidance
deceleration. The ability to counter steer and swerve was essentially
absent.
28. The typical motorcycle accident allows the motorcyclist just less than 2
seconds to complete all collision avoidance action.
29. Passenger-carrying motorcycles are not overrepresented in the
accident area.
30. The driver of the other vehicles involved in collision with the motorcycle
are not distinguished from other accident populations except that the
ages of 20 to 29, and beyond 65 are overrepresented. Also, these drivers
are generally unfamiliar with motorcycles.
HURT
31. Large displacement motorcycles are underrepresented in accidents
but they are associated with higher injury severity when involved in
accidents.
32. Any effect of motorcycle colour on accident involvement is not
determinable from these data, but is expected to be insignificant because
the frontal surfaces are most often presented to the other vehicle involved
in the collision.
33. Motorcycles equipped with fairings and windshields are
underrepresented in accidents, most likely because of the contribution to
conspicuity and the association with more experienced and trained riders.
34. Motorcycle riders in these accidents were significantly without
motorcycle license, without any license, or with license revoked.
35. Motorcycle modifications such as those associated with the semichopper or cafe racer are definitely overrepresented in accidents.
HURT
36. The likelihood of injury is extremely high in these motorcycle accidents98% of the multiple vehicle collisions and 96% of the single vehicle
accidents resulted in some kind of injury to the motorcycle rider; 45%
resulted in more than a minor injury.
37. Half of the injuries to the somatic regions were to the ankle-foot, lower
leg, knee, and thigh-upper leg.
38. Crash bars are not an effective injury countermeasure; the reduction of
injury to the ankle-foot is balanced by increase of injury to the thigh-upper
leg, knee, and lower leg.
39. The use of heavy boots, jacket, gloves, etc., is effective in preventing or
reducing abrasions and lacerations, which are frequent but rarely severe
injuries.
40. Groin injuries were sustained by the motorcyclist in at least 13% of the
accidents, which typified by multiple vehicle collision in frontal impact at
higher than average speed.
HURT
41. Injury severity increases with speed, alcohol involvement and
motorcycle size.
42. Seventy-three percent of the accident-involved motorcycle riders used
no eye protection, and it is likely that the wind on the unprotected eyes
contributed in impairment of vision which delayed hazard detection.
43. Approximately 50% of the motorcycle riders in traffic were using safety
helmets but only 40% of the accident-involved motorcycle riders were
wearing helmets at the time of the accident.
44. Voluntary safety helmet use by those accident-involved motorcycle
riders was lowest for untrained, uneducated, young motorcycle riders on
hot days and short trips.
45. The most deadly injuries to the accident victims were injuries to the
chest and head.
HURT
46. The use of the safety helmet is the single critical factor in the prevention
of reduction of head injury; the safety helmet which complies with FMVSS
218 is a significantly effective injury countermeasure.
47. Safety helmet use caused no attenuation of critical traffic sounds, no
limitation of precrash visual field, and no fatigue or loss of attention; no
element of accident causation was related to helmet use.
48. FMVSS 218 provides a high level of protection in traffic accidents, and
needs modification only to increase coverage at the back of the head
and demonstrate impact protection of the front of full facial coverage
helmets, and insure all adult sizes for traffic use are covered by the
standard.
49. Helmeted riders and passengers showed significantly lower head and
neck injury for all types of injury, at all levels of injury severity.
50. The increased coverage of the full facial coverage helmet increases
protection, and significantly reduces face injuries.
HURT
51. There is no liability for neck injury by wearing a safety helmet; helmeted
riders had less neck injuries than unhelmeted riders. Only four minor injuries
were attributable to helmet use, and in each case the helmet prevented
possible critical or fatal head injury.
52. Sixty percent of the motorcyclists were not wearing safety helmets at
the time of the accident. Of this group, 26% said they did not wear helmets
because they were uncomfortable and inconvenient, and 53% simply had
no expectation of accident involvement.
53. Valid motorcycle exposure data can be obtained only from collection
at the traffic site. Motor vehicle or driver license data presents information
which is completely unrelated to actual use.
54. Less than 10% of the motorcycle riders involved in these accidents had
insurance of any kind to provide medical care or replace property.