Road Traffic Act 1988
Sections and provisions with full text and the judgments that cite each one.
Section 22 — Leaving vehicles in dangerous positions.
Leaving vehicles in dangerous positions. 22 If a person in charge of a vehicle causes or permits the vehicle or a trailer drawn by it to remain at rest on a road in such a position or in such…
Section 22A — Causing danger to road-users.
Causing danger to road-users. 22A 1 A person is guilty of an offence if he intentionally and without lawful authority or reasonable cause— a causes anything to be on or over a road, or b interferes…
Section 23 — Restriction of carriage of persons on motor cycles.
Restriction of carriage of persons on motor cycles. 23 1 Not more than one person in addition to the driver may be carried on a motor bicycle . 2 No person in addition to the driver may be carried on…
Section 24 — Restriction of carriage of persons on bicycles.
Restriction of carriage of persons on bicycles. 24 1 Not more than one person may be carried on a road on a bicycle not propelled by mechanical power unless it is constructed or adapted for the…
Section 25 — Tampering with motor vehicles.
Tampering with motor vehicles. 25 1 If, while a motor vehicle is on a road or on a parking place provided by a local authority, a person— a gets on to the vehicle, or b tampers with the brake or…
Section 26 — Holding or getting on to vehicle in order to be towed or carried.
Holding or getting on to vehicle in order to be towed or carried. 26 1 If, for the purpose of being carried, a person without lawful authority or reasonable cause takes or retains hold of, or gets on…
Section 27 — Control of dogs on roads.
Control of dogs on roads. 27 1 A person who causes or permits a dog to be on a designated road without the dog being held on a lead is guilty of an offence. 2 In this section “ designated road ”…
Section 28 — Dangerous cycling.
Dangerous cycling. 28 1 A person who rides a cycle on a road dangerously is guilty of an offence. 2 For the purposes of subsection (1) above a person is to be regarded as riding dangerously if (and…
Section 29 — Careless, and inconsiderate, cycling.
Careless, and inconsiderate, cycling. 29 If a person rides a cycle on a road without due care and attention, or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road, he is guilty of an…
Section 30 — Cycling when under influence of drink or drugs.
Cycling when under influence of drink or drugs. 30 1 A person who, when riding a cycle on a road or other public place, is unfit to ride through drink or drugs (that is to say, is under the influence…
Section 31 — Regulation of cycle racing on public ways.
Regulation of cycle racing on public ways. 31 1 A person who promotes or takes part in a race or trial of speed on a public way between cycles is guilty of an offence, unless the race or trial— a is…
Section 32 — Electrically assisted pedal cycles.
Electrically assisted pedal cycles. 32 1 An electrically assisted pedal cycle of a class specified in regulations made for the purposes of section 189 of this Act and section 140 of the Road Traffic…
Section 33 — Control of use of footpaths , bridleways and restricted byways for motor vehicle trials.
Control of use of footpaths , bridleways and restricted byways for motor vehicle trials. 33 1 A person must not promote or take part in a trial of any description between motor vehicles on a footpath…
Section 34 — Prohibition of driving mechanically propelled vehicles elsewhere than on roads.
Prohibition of driving mechanically propelled vehicles elsewhere than on roads. 34 1 Subject to the provisions of this section, if without lawful authority a person drives a mechanically propelled…
Section 35 — Drivers to comply with traffic directions.
Drivers to comply with traffic directions. 35 1 Where a constable or traffic officer is for the time being engaged in the regulation of traffic in a road, a person driving or propelling a vehicle who…
Section 36 — Drivers to comply with traffic signs.
Drivers to comply with traffic signs. 36 1 Where a traffic sign, being a sign— a of the prescribed size, colour and type, or b of another character authorised by the relevant authority under the…
Section 37 — Directions to pedestrians.
Directions to pedestrians. 37 Where a constable in uniform or traffic officer is for the time being engaged in the regulation of vehicular traffic in a road, a person on foot who proceeds across or…
Section 38 — The Highway Code.
The Highway Code. 38 1 The Highway Code shall continue to have effect, subject however to revision in accordance with the following provisions of this section. 2 Subject to the following provisions…
Section 39 — Powers of Secretary of State and local authorities as to giving road safety information and training.
Powers of Secretary of State and local authorities as to giving road safety information and training. 39 1 The Secretary of State may, with the approval of the Treasury, provide for promoting road…
Section 40 — Road safety grants
Road safety grants 40 1 A national transport authority may make payments to any local authority or any other authority or body for meeting the whole or part of the capital or running costs of any…
Section 40A — Using vehicle in dangerous condition etc.
Using vehicle in dangerous condition etc. 40A A person is guilty of an offence if he uses, or causes or permits another to use, a motor vehicle or trailer on a road when— a the condition of the motor…
Section 41 — Regulation of construction, weight, equipment and use of vehicles.
Regulation of construction, weight, equipment and use of vehicles. 41 1 The national authority may make regulations generally as to the use of motor vehicles and trailers on roads, their construction…
Section 41A — Breach of requirement as to brakes, steering-gear or tyres.
Breach of requirement as to brakes, steering-gear or tyres. 41A A person who— a contravenes or fails to comply with a construction and use requirement as to brakes, steering-gear or tyres, or b uses…
Section 41B — Breach of requirement as to weight: goods and passenger vehicles.
Breach of requirement as to weight: goods and passenger vehicles. 41B 1 A person who— a contravenes or fails to comply with a construction and use requirement as to any description of weight…
Section 41C — Breach of requirement as to speed assessment equipment detection devices
Breach of requirement as to speed assessment equipment detection devices 41C A person who— a contravenes or fails to comply with a construction or use requirement as to speed assessment equipment…
Section 41D — Breach of requirements as to control of vehicle, mobile telephones etc.
Breach of requirements as to control of vehicle, mobile telephones etc. 41D A person who contravenes or fails to comply with a construction and use requirement— a as to not driving a motor vehicle in…
Section 42 — Breach of other construction and use requirements.
Breach of other construction and use requirements. 42 A person who— a contravenes or fails to comply with any construction or use requirement other than one within section 41A(a) or 41B(1)(a) or 41D…
Section 43 — Temporary exemption from application of regulations under section 41.
Temporary exemption from application of regulations under section 41. 43 1 Subject to subsections (2) to (4) below, where any regulations under section 41 of this Act contain provisions varying the…
Section 44 — Authorisation of use on roads of special vehicles not complying with regulations under section 41.
Authorisation of use on roads of special vehicles not complying with regulations under section 41. 44 1 The Secretary of State may by order authorise, subject to such restrictions and conditions as…
Section 45 — Tests of satisfactory condition of vehicles.
Tests of satisfactory condition of vehicles. 45 1 This section applies to motor vehicles other than goods vehicles which are required by regulations under section 49 of this Act to be submitted for a…
Section 46 — Regulations under section 45.
Regulations under section 45. 46 1 Regulations under section 45 of this Act may, in particular, make provision as to— a the authorisation of examiners, the nomination and approval of nominated…
Section 46A — Use of records of vehicle examinations, etc.
Use of records of vehicle examinations, etc. 46A 1 This section applies to— a the records maintained by the Secretary of State (or caused by him to be maintained) under section 45(6B) of this Act,…
Section 46B — Evidence from records of vehicle examinations.
Evidence from records of vehicle examinations. 46B 1 A statement to which this section applies is admissible in any proceedings as evidence (or, in Scotland, sufficient evidence) of any fact stated…
Section 47 — Obligatory test certificates.
Obligatory test certificates. 47 1 A person who uses on a road at any time, or causes or permits to be so used, a motor vehicle to which this section applies, and as respects which no test…
Section 48 — Supplementary provisions about test certificates.
Supplementary provisions about test certificates. 48 1 For the purpose of spreading the work of issuing certificates in contemplation of a change in— a the length of the appropriate period, or b the…
Section 49 — Tests of satisfactory condition of goods vehicles and determination of plated weights, etc.
Tests of satisfactory condition of goods vehicles and determination of plated weights, etc. 49 1 The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision for the examination of goods vehicles of any…
Section 49A — Use of records of goods vehicle examinations, etc.
Use of records of goods vehicle examinations, etc. 49A 1 This section applies to— a the records maintained by the Secretary of State (or caused by him to be maintained) under section 49(3A) of this…
Section 50 — Appeals against determinations.
Appeals against determinations. 50 1 Any person aggrieved by a determination made on an examination under regulations under section 49 of this Act by the person in charge of the examination may…
Section 51 — Particular aspects of regulations under section 49.
Particular aspects of regulations under section 49. 51 1 Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) of section 49 of this Act, regulations under that section may— a require or authorise…
Section 52 — Supplementary provisions about tests, etc., of goods vehicles.
Supplementary provisions about tests, etc., of goods vehicles. 52 1 Without prejudice to any regulations made under section 49 of this Act by virtue of section 51(1)(c) of this Act, the Secretary of…
Section 53 — Obligatory goods vehicle test certificates.
Obligatory goods vehicle test certificates. 53 1 If any person at any time on or after the relevant date— a uses on a road a ... vehicle of a class required by relevant regulations to have been…
Section 54 — Type approval requirements.
Type approval requirements. 54 1 Without prejudice to section 41 of this Act, the Secretary of State may by regulations prescribe requirements (in this Part of this Act referred to as “ type approval…
Section 55 — Type approval certificates.
Type approval certificates. 55 1 Where the Secretary of State is satisfied on application made to him by the manufacturer of a vehicle of a class to which regulations under section 54 of this Act…
Section 56 — Conditions of, and cancellation or suspension of, type approval certificates.
Conditions of, and cancellation or suspension of, type approval certificates. 56 1 A type approval certificate may be issued subject to conditions with respect to— a the inspection by officers of the…
Section 57 — Certificates of conformity.
Certificates of conformity. 57 1 The manufacturer of a type vehicle in respect of which a type approval certificate is in force may issue, in respect of each vehicle manufactured by him which…
Section 58 — Minister’s approval certificates.
Minister’s approval certificates. 58 1 Where the Secretary of State is satisfied, on application made to him by any person in respect of a vehicle of a class to which regulations under section 54 of…
Section 59 — Supplementary provisions as to certificates of conformity and Minister’s approval certificates.
Supplementary provisions as to certificates of conformity and Minister’s approval certificates. 59 1 The Secretary of State may by regulations require that prescribed alterations— a in any of the…
Section 60 — Appeals.
Appeals. 60 1 A person aggrieved by the determination made on behalf of the Secretary of State with respect to a type approval certificate, a certificate of conformity or a Minister’s approval…
Section 61 — Regulations for the purposes of sections 54 to 60.
Regulations for the purposes of sections 54 to 60. 61 1 The Secretary of State may make regulations for the purposes of sections 54 to 60 of this Act. 2 Without prejudice to the generality of…
Section 62 — Other supplementary provisions.
Other supplementary provisions. 62 1 The Secretary of State may provide and maintain stations where examinations of vehicles under sections 54 to 61 of this Act or regulations under those sections…