The Government has issued new Regulations under the Motor Traffic Act (MTA) to allow limited modifications for three-wheelers in a manner that does not cause an inconvenience to the public, Vehicle Regulation, Bus Transport Services and Train Compartments and Motor Car Industry State Minister of Transportation Dilum Amunugama said.
He told the media that the decision to amend the Regulations was taken following a request made to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa by several three-wheeler unions.
The State Minister said the new Gazette has specified the modifications permitted for three-wheelers, while prohibiting any modification that could result in road accidents.
Accordingly, the appliances to be fitted to or mounted to a three-wheeler should not exceed the weight, dimensions or limitations of its prototype, or alter its shape, design or external appearance, or lose the purpose for which it was manufactured, or lose its equilibrium.
The Gazette states that the word “appliances” includes lamps, lights, light covers, wheels, wheel covers, rims, tyres, mudguards, mudflaps, side mirrors, rear view mirrors, door visors, hood visors, wind deflectors, buffers, body kits, spoilers, seats, side curtains, weather covers and stickers.
The appliances to be fitted to or mounted to a three-wheeler should not spread out the seat space of the driver’s seat or a passenger’s seat, or block the view of the windscreen or of the side openings of the driver’s compartment and a passenger’s compartment, or block the view of the rear-view mirrors. Those should not have a reflective exterior and have sharp-edged appliances on the exterior which shall cause an obstruction or danger to persons using the road or its vicinity.
Prior approval of the Motor Traffic Commissioner General shall be obtained to effect a change to the color specified for the external appearance of a three-wheeler. Tyres, mud guard and the wheel cover of a three-wheeler should not be mounted to protrude to cause danger, obstruction or annoyance to persons using the road.
Three-wheeler side mirrors should be mounted in such a way that they can be easily bent backwards in the event of a collision.
“When mounting lights on a three-wheeler, the head lamps which shall comprise the head beams and dip beams and an indicator, shall be of white or yellow light. The lamps shall be fixed on the front of the vehicle and be kept lighted when the vehicle is on the move when the outside light is dim or when used during a procession. The said lamps shall be clearly visible to a distance of more than 300 meters from the front of the vehicle. Tail lights shall be a red light and the nature of such lights will be that it would light up when the engine is ignited. The lights shall be fixed on the rear of the vehicle and shall be clearly visible to a distance of more than 200 meters from the rear of the vehicle. Any additional mounting of lights shall not interfere with the identity, the shape and dimension of a three-wheeler and shall not cause annoyance to persons using the road by day or night time,” the Gazette noted.
