Your car and the lights on it

We are all used to seeing cars in the dark, and also seeing their indicators in the day to communicate to other car drivers. But what must you ensure with regard to the lighting of your car?

Most people don't give this much thought, but of course there are lights that must be fitted to a vehicle in order to comply with the legislation and regulations of the land.

It is the responsibility of the driver of the vehicle to ensure that their lights are both present and in correct working order, and they will be committing an offence if this is not the case.

You must have two headlamps, two sidelamps, two rear lights, a number plate lamp, two red reflectors at the rear, flashing direction indicators at the front and the rear, rear stop lamps and also rear fog lamps.

So you can see that there are actually quite a few lights that you require. You should check these periodically for your own safety anyhow.

It can be difficult to know if an indicator bulb has gone for instance, so all you need to do is get a friend or family member to walk around the car as you try the various lights and let you know if anything isn't working: a broken indicator bulb for instance can cause real confusion to other road drivers who won't be expecting your manouevres as they won't be able to see which way you are indicating if the bulb is broken and therefore should be replaced immediately.

Related Articles...

driving theory test
When to use hazard warning lamps
Hazard warning lamps, are by their nature, lamps that you should not use routinely. However it is important to know when is the correct time to use them, and how to switch them on. They are...

What causes accidents: pulling out
One of the most typically seen accident that happens between vehicles in and around towns and city centres is the situation where two or more roads join each other. At these there will be...

Tips on preventing car crime
It is an obvious statement that nobody wants their car to be broken into or have items stolen from their car. Yet despite this some drivers take little care in discouraging theft. There are...

What are greener fuels
One of the most well known of the green fuels is something that is called Biofuel. Biofuel is a group of different fuels rather than an individual fuel in itself, and the class contains things...

The risk of accidents - some statistics
No-one wants to think that they will be involved in an accident, but being aware that an accident could happen to you and the statistics is important. Accidents happen to ordinary people, so anyone...

Tips on braking on snow and ice
Braking on snow and ice takes a lot longer than it does on a normal road in ordinary conditions. But you might be very surprised at how long it can take. Infact tests have shown that it can...

Your legal obligations as a driver
There are some basics that everyone knows when it comes to being able to behind the wheel of a vehicle. These are of course meeting the legal eyesight requirements, being older than the minimum age...

What to do if you breakdown at a level crossing
Driving is potentially dangerous, but it is important not to worry about things that could happen when driving but at the same time you should know what to do in the unlikely event that something...

Why is there a Hazard Perception Test
The statistics have long shown that the newer the driver, the more likely they are to be involved in accidents on the roads. This is probably because they are inexperienced as drivers, although...

The New Drivers Act
The New Drivers Act is legislation that applies to those who have just passed their test and are categorised as new drivers, which in this legal definition refers to the first two years of passing...


Back to home page of driving theory test questions