Driving School Colchester: Learning Britain’s Windscreen Rules

In terms of windscreen rules, the government of the United Kingdom (UK) through its Department for Transport issued a statement providing general guidance and best advice for motorists about the legislative requirements on windscreen as well as the fastening of stickers on it that could obscure the view of the driver behind the steering wheel.

The government statement further emphasised that every effort has been undertaken to make sure that it’s factually correct placement of stickers, however, the recipients should also check if they’re unsure about the validity of a particular rule right after the date of publication until the present if they have reason to believe any part of it is already out of date, incorrect or inaccurate.

The act of placing stickers in the car’s windscreen is not illegal, however, it’s still to be called an offence as specified under regulation number 30 of the road vehicles if you’re driving a car in which the glass is maintained in such a condition that the driver’s vision is impaired.

It’s also a requirement when taking the windscreen test of the Ministry of Transport (MOT) that any windscreen that’s being obscured or damaged to the extent where the driver’s vision is impaired may fail the windscreen test.

In order to better define what may be permissible, the windscreen is divided into Zones:

(1.)  The Zone A  – it is a vertical area 29 mm wide, centred on the steering wheel and contained  within the swept area of the windscreen which is 350 mm wide on vehicles over 3.5 tonnes.

(2.) The Zone B – it is the remainder of the swept area of the windscreen.

For simplicity, the discolouration, cracks or surface damage, are simply referred to as damage. In Zone A, a single damaged area shall be contained within a 10 mm diametre circle. A combination of minor damage areas shall not seriously restrict the drivers view. Windscreen stickers, or other obstructions shouldn’t go beyond more than 10 mm.

In Zone B, a single damaged area shall be contained within a 40mm diametre circle. Windscreen stickers or other obstructions, shall not encroach more than 40 mm.

On the rear view windscreen, nothing is specifically illegal about obscuring the driver’s view through the rear window of a car. But if the rear window is obscured, for example by an oversised sticker or load, the driver may be liable to prosecution.

If the vehicle does not meet the requirements of regulation 33 of the road vehicles regulations of 1986, which states that when a view to the rear is not possible through the interior rear-view mirror, two fully functional exterior mirrors must be fitted to the vehicle.

You should also be aware that regulation 100 of the road vehicles regulations of 1986 requires the following:

(1.) A motor vehicle, and all its parts and accessories.

(2.) The number of passengers being carried including the manner in which they’re carried on or in a vehicle.

(3.) The distribution, weight, adjustment and packing of the vehicle’s load are to be at all times so that no danger is caused or is likely to be caused to any person in or on a vehicle or on a road.

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