Motor Cars (Driving Instruction) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004

Motor car to be provided for practical part of examination

13.—(1) A candidate for the driving ability and fitness test or the instructional ability and fitness test shall provide, at his own expense, a motor car for the purposes of that test, in respect of which the following conditions are satisfied.

(2) The vehicle must have four wheels and be either –

(a) constructed solely for the carriage of passengers and their effects and fitted with a rigid roof, with or without a sliding panel, or

(b) a dual purpose vehicle as defined in Article 2(2) of the Order of 1981.

(3) The vehicle must –

(a) have a readily adjustable driving seat and a seat for a forward-facing front passenger;

(b) have a steering wheel on its off-side;

(c) be provided with a means whereby the driver may, independently of the use of the accelerator or the brakes, gradually vary the proportion of the power being produced by the engine which is transmitted to the road wheels;

(d) have fitted for use with the driver’s seat and front passenger seat a properly anchored and functioning three-point seat belt;

(e) in the case of a vehicle with a front passenger seat, have fitted as an integral part of that seat a head restraint which satisfies the requirements of Council Directive 78/932/EEC(1), and be fitted with head restraints on the driver’s seat and the forward facing front seats;

(f) in the case of a vehicle with forward facing seats behind the driver’s seat an inertia reel belt for one of those seats nearest either side of the vehicle and a three point belt, a lap belt, a disabled person’s belt or a child restraint for at least one other of those seats;

(g) be fitted with an interior rear-view mirror providing adequate rearward vision from the front passenger seat; and

(h) be otherwise suitable for the purposes of the test.

(4) The vehicle must not, during any driving ability and fitness test display the distinguishing mark referred to in regulation 12(1)(b) of the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996(2) or anything resembling such a distinguishing mark.

(5) In the case of a vehicle provided for the purposes of an instructional ability and fitness test, there must be in force in relation to the use of the vehicle a policy of insurance that –

(a) complies with the requirements of Article 92 of the Order of 1981 in relation to the candidate as driver of the vehicle;

(b) complies with the requirements of that Article in relation to the examiner as the driver of the vehicle; and

(c) insures the examiner as the driver of the vehicle in respect of liability for damage to the vehicle during the test,

and throughout the test there shall be displayed in a conspicuous manner on the front and on the back of the vehicle distinguishing marks in the form referred to in regulation 12(1)(b) of the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996.

(1)

Council Directive of 16 October 1978 on the approximation of laws relating to head restraints of seats of motor vehicles (O.J. No. L325, 20.11.78, p. 1)

(2)

S.R. 1996 No. 542; relevant amending Regulations are S.R. 1999 No. 358