Contents

Objective of the Rule

Extent of consultation

Section 1     Application

• 1.1     Title
• 1.2     Date when Rule comes into force

Section 2     Amendments relating to vehicle standards and other requirements for windscreen wipe systems and windscreen wash systems

• 2.1     Requirement to fit windscreen wipe systems and windscreen wash systems
• 2.2     Approved vehicle standards for windscreen wipe systems and windscreen wash systems

 

Objective of the Rule

Land Transport Rule: Glazing, Windscreen Wipe and Wash, and Mirrors Amendment 2005 amends Land Transport Rule: Glazing, Windscreen Wipe and Wash, and Mirrors 1999, which sets out standards and general safety requirements for windscreen wipe systems and windscreen wash systems.

The objective of this amendment Rule is to update the safety requirements for windscreen wipe systems and windscreen wash systems, as a result of changes to the Australian Design Rules (ADRs). A review in 2003 of the ADRs resulted in the deletion of the technical part of ADR 16, which is one of the approved vehicle standards incorporated by reference in Land Transport Rule: Glazing, Windscreen Wipe and Wash, and Mirrors 1999. General safety requirements for these systems were transferred to ADR 42/04. Because the general safety requirements currently in force in New Zealand are in line with those in ADR 42/04, this Rule removes the requirement for the windscreen wipe and wash systems on vehicles to comply with an approved vehicle standard, and requires compliance with General Safety Requirements only. The provisions relating to windscreen wipe and wash systems on low volume vehicles are not affected.

This amendment has the effect of relaxing requirements, and compliance costs, for vehicles manufactured in New Zealand, for example, by no longer requiring the windscreen wipe and wash systems of some buses to conform to the technical requirements formerly in ADR 16.

 

Extent of consultation

For the purposes of consultation, a number of amendments proposed to Land Transport Rule: Glazing, Windscreen Wipe and Wash, and Mirrors 1999 and 12 other Land Transport Rules were combined into a single draft Rule, Land Transport Rule: Omnibus Amendment 2005 (the Omnibus Amendment Rule). The changes proposed were intended mainly to convert remaining provisions in the Traffic Regulations 1976 to Rules, to update vehicle standards, to delete redundant provisions and clarify provisions and to correct some errors in Rules.

On 1 April 2005, Land Transport New Zealand (Land Transport NZ) sent a letter containing the Rule amendment proposals to about 2200 groups and individuals who had registered an interest in the Rules to be amended, and sought submissions on the proposed changes. The draft Omnibus Amendment Rule was made available through the Land Transport NZ Help Desk and was available together with Questions and Answers on the Land Transport NZ website. The availability of the draft was publicised in five metropolitan daily newspapers, Te Karere National News and the New Zealand Gazette. Land Transport NZ received 33 submissions on the draft Omnibus Amendment Rule, of which one commented on the proposed amendments to the windscreen wipe and wash requirements.

Following consultation, the provisions in the draft Omnibus Amendment Rule were split into separate amendment Rules, including this Rule. The submissions that were received were taken into account in drafting the amendment Rules before the Rules were submitted to the Minister for Transport Safety for signing.

 

Section 1     Application

1.1     Title

1.1(1)     This Rule is Land Transport Rule: Glazing, Windscreen Wipe and Wash, and Mirrors Amendment 2005.

1.1(2)     In this Rule, Land Transport Rule: Glazing, Windscreen Wipe and Wash, and Mirrors 1999 is called ‘the principal Rule’.

 

1.2     Date when Rule comes into force

This Rule comes into force on 15 September 2005.

 

Section 2     Amendments relating to vehicle standards and other safety requirements for windscreen wipe systems and windscreen wash systems

2.1     Requirement to fit windscreen wipe systems and windscreen wash systems

2.2(1)     Clause 4.2 of the principal Rule is amended by omitting from subclause (3) the words "but does not need to comply with an approved vehicle standard".

2.2(2)     Clause 4.2 of the principal Rule is amended by revoking Table 4.1, and substituting the following table:

"Table 4.1 Requirements for windscreen wipe systems and windscreen wash systems

Class	Vehicle manufactured before 1 January 1992	Vehicle manufactured on or after 1 January 1992 and before 1 January 1996	Vehicle manufactured on or after 1 January 1996 and before 1 January 2000	Vehicle manufactured on or after 1 January 2000
MA, MB, MC, MD1, MD2, MD3, MD4, ME	General safety requirements	General safety requirements	General safety requirements	General safety requirements
NA, NB, NC	General safety requirements	General safety requirements	General safety requirements	General safety requirements
LA, LB1, LB2, LC, LD	No requirements	No requirements	No requirements	General safety requirements
AB, TA, TB, TC, TD	No requirements
Motor vehicles not in Table A	General safety requirements
Class	Light motor vehicle last modified on or after 1 January 1992 and certified as a low volume vehicle
Low volume vehicle1	General safety requirements and Low Volume Vehicle Code

Note:
¹ The concept of low volume vehicles and hence certification for such vehicles was not initiated until after 1991. A motor vehicle last modified before 1 January 1992 does not have to comply with the Low Volume Vehicle Code, provided the vehicle has been continuously registered in New Zealand. It must, however, comply with the general safety requirements in 4.3."

 

2.2     Approved vehicle standards for windscreen wipe systems and windscreen wash systems

Section 4 of the principal Rule is amended by revoking clause 4.4.