Search Legislation

The Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1995

 Help about what version

What Version

More Resources

Changes to legislation:

The Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1995 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 23 April 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the affected provisions when you open the content using the Table of Contents below.

View outstanding changes

Changes and effects yet to be applied to :

Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Order associated Parts and Chapters:

Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Order (including any effects on those provisions):

  1. Introductory Text

  2. PART I INTRODUCTORY

    1. 1.Title and commencement

    2. 2.General interpretation

    3. 3.Meaning of “motor vehicle” and other expressions relating to vehicles

    4. 4.Supplementary provisions about those expressions

    5. 5.Articulated vehicles

    6. 6.Certain vehicles not to be treated as motor vehicles

    7. 7.Method of calculating weight of motor vehicles and trailers

    8. 8.Interpretation of statutory references to carriages

  3. PART II Principal Road Safety Provisions

    1. Driving Offences

      1. 9.Causing death, or grievous bodily injury, by dangerous driving

      2. 10.Dangerous driving

      3. 11.Meaning of dangerous driving

      4. 11A.Causing death or grievous bodily injury by careless or inconsiderate driving

      5. 12.Careless, and inconsiderate, driving

      6. 12A.Meaning of careless, or inconsiderate, driving

      7. 12B.Causing death or grievous bodily injury by driving: unlicensed, disqualified or uninsured driver

    2. Motor vehicles: drink and drugs

      1. 13.Interpretation of Articles 14 to 21

      2. 14.Causing death, or grievous bodily injury, by careless driving when under influence of drink or drugs

      3. 15.Driving, or being in charge, when under influence of drink or drugs

      4. 16.Driving, or being in charge of, a motor vehicle with alcohol concentration above prescribed limit

      5. 17.Power to administer preliminary tests

      6. 17A.Preliminary breath test

      7. 17B.Preliminary impairment test

      8. 17C.Preliminary drug test

      9. 17CA.Breath testing at authorised check-points

      10. 17D.Arrest

      11. 17E.Power of entry

      12. 18.Provision of specimens for analysis

      13. 18A.Specimens of blood taken from persons incapable of consenting

      14. 19. Lower of 2 specimens of breath to be used

      15. 20.Protection for hospital patients

      16. 21.Detention of persons affected by alcohol or a drug

    3. Authorised motoring events

      1. 22.Disapplication of Articles 9, 10 and 12 for authorised motoring events

    4. Protective measures: seat belts, helmets, etc.

      1. 23.Seat belts: adults

      2. 24.Restriction on carrying children not wearing seat belts in motor vehicles

      3. 24A.Requirement to notify bus passengers to wear seat belts

      4. 24B.Local Service

      5. 25.Payments in respect of applicants for exemption from wearing seat belts

      6. 26.Safety equipment for children in motor vehicles

      7. 27.Wearing of protective headgear

      8. 28.Protective helmets for motor cyclists

      9. 29.Authorisation of head-worn appliances for use on motor cycles

    5. Stopping on verges, etc., or in dangerous positions, etc.

      1. 30.Prohibition of parking of heavy commercial vehicles on verges, central reservations and footways

      2. 31.Definition of “heavy commercial vehicle” for the purposes of Article 30

      3. 32.Leaving vehicles in dangerous positions

    6. Danger to road-users

      1. 33.Causing danger to road-users

    7. Other restrictions in interests of safety

      1. 34.Restrictions of carriage of persons on motor bicycles

      2. 35.Restrictions of carriage of persons on bicycles

      3. 36.Tampering with motor vehicles

      4. 37.Holding or getting on to vehicle in order to be towed or carried

      5. 38.Pedestrian endangering own safety or that of others

      6. 39.Passing with a led horse

      7. 40.Drunkenness, etc., in charge of horse-drawn vehicle

      8. 41.Careless, and inconsiderate, driving of horse-drawn vehicle

    8. Cycling offences and cycle racing

      1. 42.Dangerous cycling

      2. 43.Careless, and inconsiderate, cycling

      3. 44.Cycling when under influence of drink or drugs

      4. 45.Regulation of cycle racing on public roads

      5. 46.Electrically assisted pedal cycles

    9. Use of motor vehicle etc., away from roads

      1. 47.Control of use of public paths, etc., for motor vehicle trials

      2. 48.Prohibition of driving mechanically propelled vehicles elsewhere than on roads

    10. Traffic directions and traffic signs

      1. 49.Contravention of directions

      2. 50.Contravention of traffic signs

    11. Promotion of road safety

      1. 51.Highway Code

      2. 52.Powers of Department as to giving road safety information and training

      3. 52A.Functions of Department as to road safety

  4. Part III Construction and Use of Vehicles and Equipment

    1. Preliminary

      1. 53.Interpretation of Part III

    2. Using vehicle in dangerous condition

      1. 54.Using vehicle in dangerous condition etc.

    3. General regulation of construction, use, etc.

      1. 55.Regulation of construction, weight, equipment and use of vehicles

      2. 56.Breach of requirement as to brakes, steering-gear or tyres

      3. 56A.Breach of requirements as to control of vehicle, mobile telephones etc.

      4. 57.Breach of requirement as to weight: goods and passenger vehicles

      5. 57A.Breach of requirement as to speed assessment equipment detection devices

      6. 58.Breach of other construction and use requirements

      7. 59.Temporary exemption from application of regulations under Article 55

      8. 60.Authorisation of use on roads of special vehicles not complying with regulations under Article 55

    4. Tests of vehicles other than goods vehicles to which Article 65 applies

      1. 61.Tests of satisfactory condition of vehicles

      2. 62.Particular aspects of regulations under Article 61

      3. 63.Obligatory test certificates

      4. 63A.Display of test certificates

      5. 64.Supplementary provisions about test certificates

    5. Test of certain classes of goods vehicles

      1. 65.Tests of satisfactory condition of goods vehicles and determination of plated weights, etc.

      2. 66.Appeals against determinations

      3. 67.Particular aspects of regulations under Article 65

      4. 68.Supplementary provision about tests, etc., of goods vehicles

      5. 69.Obligatory goods vehicle test certificates

      6. 70.Using goods vehicle with unauthorised weights as well as authorised weights marked on it

      7. 71.Restriction on carrying passengers on goods vehicles

    6. Conditions for grant of excise licence

      1. 72.Regulations prohibiting the grant of excise licences for certain vehicles except on compliance with certain conditions

    7. Vehicle testing centres and vehicle examiners

      1. 73.Vehicle testing centres

      2. 74.Appointment of examiners

    8. Testing vehicles on roads

      1. 75.Testing of condition of vehicles on roads

    9. Inspection of vehicles

      1. 76.Inspection of vehicles

    10. Prohibition of unfit vehicles

      1. 77.Power to prohibit driving of unfit vehicles

      2. 78.Prohibitions conditional on inspection etc.

      3. 79.Power to prohibit driving of overloaded vehicles

      4. 80.Unfit and overloaded vehicles: offences

      5. 81.Removal of prohibitions

    11. Miscellaneous provisions about vehicles and vehicle parts

      1. 82.Operator's duty to inspect, and keep records of inspection of, goods vehicles

      2. 83.Vehicles not to be sold in unroadworthy condition or altered so as to be unroadworthy

      3. 84.Fitting and supply of defective or unsuitable vehicle parts

      4. 85.Testing condition of used vehicles at sale rooms, etc.

      5. 86.Weighing of motor vehicles

      6. 87.Further provisions relating to weighing of motor vehicles

    12. Cycles and horse-drawn vehicles

      1. 88.Regulation of brakes, bells etc., on cycles

      2. 89.Regulation of brakes on horse-drawn vehicles

    13. Miscellaneous

      1. 90.Offences to do with reflectors and tail lamps

      2. 91.Appointment of officials

  5. PART IV Miscellaneous Amendments of the Order of 1981

    1. 92.Licensing of motor cyclists

    2. Art. 93 rep. by 1997 NI 2

    3. Arts. 94‐97 rep. by 1996 NI 10

    4. 98.Duties on occurrence of an accident

    5. 99.Powers of vehicle examiners

    6. Arts.100‐103 rep by 1996 NI 10

  6. PART V GENERAL AND SUPPLEMENTARY PROVISIONS

    1. Offences

      1. Art. 104 rep by 1996 NI 10

    2. Application of Order

      1. 105.Application of Order to hovercraft

      2. 106.Application of Order to trolley vehicles

      3. 107.Application of Order to invalid carriages

      4. 108.Application of Order to the Crown

      5. 109.Application of Order in relation to harbour commissioners

    3. Supplementary

      1. 110.General provisions as to orders and regulations

      2. 111.Savings and transitional provisions

      3. Art. 112—Amendments and repeals

  7. SCHEDULES

    1. SCHEDULE I

      Supplementary Provisions in connection with Proceedings for Offences under Articles 16, 28 and 29(4)

      1. 1.(1) A person against whom proceedings are brought for an offence under Article 26, 28...

      2. 2.(1) Where— (a) it appears that an offence under Article 26, 28 or 29(4) has...

      3. 3.(1) Subject to the provisions of this paragraph, in any proceedings for an offence under...

      4. 4.(1) An accused who in any proceedings for an offence under Article 26, 28 or...

      5. 5.In this Schedule, “equipment” means equipment to which Article 26 applies and “appliance” means an...

    2. Schedule 2 rep. by 1996 NI 10

    3. SCHEDULE 2A

      Form of seat belt symbol for buses

    4. Schedule 3—Amendments

    5. Schedule 4—Repeals

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

Timeline of Changes

This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.