STATUTORY INSTRUMENT 154 of 2010: ROAD TRAFFIC (CONSTRUCTION, EQUIPMENT & USE) REGULATIONS 2010.
The above regulations, gazetted on 17th September 2010, come into operation on 1st December 2010 and replace the regulations of 1972 (Chapter 13:11) as last amended in 1988. The motivations of these regulations included the consolidation and updating of road traffic regulations pertaining to vehicle construction and equipment as well as the granting of legal force to some provisions of the Highway Code and those of the VID Handbook. The regulations also make a major shift towards conformance with Standards Association of Zimbabwe standards and gives a greater role to SAZ in the approval of road traffic equipment. National Tyre Services Ltd had informal input through the Zimbabwe Traffic Safety Council and the Ministry of Transport.
The regulations lay minimum compliance requirements for motor vehicles construction and equipment and fixtures required to be carried on or fixed to the vehicle. It also sets out specific requirements with respect to the use of vehicles, equipment and fixtures. Provisions of general interest to motorists are as follows (own emphasis):
1. Left hand Drive Vehicles: No LHD vehicles will be registered for the first time after 31st March 2011. LHD Heavy vehicles will not be allowed on the road after 31 December 2015.
2. Rear View Mirror: Mandatory
3. Tyres:
a. Minimum tread depth on any part of the tyre stated as 1mm.
b. Regrooving of non-regroovable tyres prohibited
c. Tyres with exposed cords, lumps / bulges consistent with ply separation, tread lift prohibited.
d. Adherence to tyre load and speed indices a must.
e. Tyres must be of the right size and correctly inflated as per manufacturer’s specifications.
f. Tyres on the same axle must be of the same size, type and construction.
g. Retreaded tyres outlawed on front axles of passenger public service vehicles and heavy vehicles and passenger service vehicles without dual tyres.
h. Serviceable Spare Wheel, working jack and appropriate wheel spanner mandatory.
4. Tail Lights: White lights prohibited hence tail lights with broken lenses will not be allowed.
5. Headlamps, Tail Lights and “park” lights: Defective lamps prohibited.
6. Height lamps: Heavy vehicles to be fitted with Height lamps front and rear.
7. Reflectors: White reflectors in front, red reflectors at the rear. Heavy vehicles to have reflectors on the side as well. Detailed specifications available in the regulations.
8. ‘Breakdown’ Triangle: Two reflective breakdown triangles per vehicle and with serial numbers, name of manufacturer and year of manufacture and conforming to SAZ standards will be mandatory. A pair is also required for each trailer. These must be placed one in front and one at the rear of a vehicle (30 to 50m) when it is stationery on any road at a place not designated for stopping.
9. Fire Extinguishers: All vehicles to carry an appropriate and SAZ approved fire extinguisher in the CAB of the vehicle – Light vehicles (750g) and heavy vehicles (1,5kg).
10. Direction Indicators: Functional requirements specified and mandatory.
11. Suspension and Axles: Must be properly maintained.
12. Seats: Must be secured
13. Doors and Panels: Driving of a car with defective locking mechanisms, hinges or catches, malfunctioning window winding mechanism prohibited. Doors must be operable from both the inside and outside.
14. Speedometre: Working speedometer mandatory for vehicles capable of at least 40km/h.
15. Speed Monitoring and Speed limiting Devices: All heavy vehicles and passenger public service vehicles must have a speed monitoring device e.g. tachograph, data recorder.
16. Motor Vehicle Imports: Imports of Vehicles that are over 5years old prohibited.
17. Gross mass: Pick ups and other commercial vehicles must display the gross and net mass in kilograms.
18. Maintenance of Engines: Vehicles with defective exhausts, silencers, emissions outside SAZ specifications; oil, grease and fuel leaks prohibited.
19. Carriage of passengers: Goods Vehicles: Maximum permissible number is seven except where the vehicle is carrying employees of the vehicle owner or the employees’ family members in which case the floor area available to each person shall not be less than 0.5m².
Failure to observe any of the regulations will constitute an offence punishable by a fine not exceeding level five or to a period of imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or both.