Mandatory To Carry a Warning Triangle in Cars?

buzzwell

I didnt realise it is mandatory in Ireland to carry a warning triangle in your private car.

According to this
http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/going_abroad/ireland/index_en.htm it is.

Speed limit information is also incorrectly shown.

Carawaystick

If the speed limit information is so completely wrong, I'd take anything else they say with a pinch of salt.

buzzwell

buzzwell wrote: »

I didnt realise it is mandatory in Ireland to carry a warning triangle in your private car.

It's not mandatory

CiniO

Carawaystick wrote: »

If the speed limit information is so completely wrong, I'd take anything else they say with a pinch of salt.

Generally plenty of information from mentioned website (ec.europa.eu) is wrong.

CiniO

RoverJames wrote: »

It's not mandatory

But it might be, when you are driving abroad.

CiniO

CiniO wrote: »

But it might be, when you are driving abroad.

No doubt, but my comment was in response to the question in the OP.

_Conrad_

among many other things i always have one in the car, along with hi-vis jacket, tools, torch, engine bay light with a hook etc, good rope, but of chain, cable ties... lots of stuff. It's good to have them, have actually put most of it to use for one reason or another over the years

Zubeneschamali

I put a triangle, spare bulbs and hi-vis vests into the car before a summer holiday in France (where they are mandatory) a while back, and they've been there ever since. No harm to keep this stuff at hand.

Mongarra

Much the same cargo with me but now the mantra from fuel efficient advice experts is to carry as little as possible and save petrol/diesel.

Also, in response to OP, I thought the triangle was mandatory.

coylemj

In France you have to have a reflective jacket in the cab, it's no good having it in the boot. I guess the logic is that if you break down you should have the jacket already on when you step out of the vehicle.

As far as I know on the continent you can even get done if the 'best before' date is passed on the first aid kit.

CiniO

coylemj wrote: »

In France you have to have a reflective jacket in the cab, it's no good having it in the boot. I guess the logic is that if you break down you should have the jacket already on when you step out of the vehicle.

That's true, but they can't really issue any penalty to you if you are driving an Irish car and don't have one.
Only in case you really need to get out of the car and use one, you might suffer to get a penalty.

As far as I know on the continent you can even get done if the 'best before' date is passed on the first aid kit.

Some countries require you to carry stuff like spare bulbs, fire extinguishers, first aid kits, etc...
But if you are driving Irish car, you don't need all this stuff.
Every car in international traffic, has to be equipped as required in country of registration.
Only exception is a warning triangle, which might be required even from foreign cars.

slimjimmc

CiniO wrote: »

That's true, but they can't really issue any penalty to you if you are driving an Irish car and don't have one.
Only in case you really need to get out of the car and use one, you might suffer to get a penalty.


Some countries require you to carry stuff like spare bulbs, fire extinguishers, first aid kits, etc...
But if you are driving Irish car, you don't need all this stuff.
Every car in international traffic, has to be equipped as required in country of registration.
Only exception is a warning triangle, which might be required even from foreign cars.

Not according to our Department of Foreign Affairs who say you can get a fine and your car can be checked to verify you have the jacket and other mandatory safety gear:

From 1 July 2008, all drivers must also carry a luminous high-visibility vest in the main body of the vehicle (i.e. not in the boot). The vest is to be worn in case of a break-down at any time and must be put on before you get out of the vehicle. Failure to produce the required safety equipment at an accident/breakdown scene or during a police inspection can result in a fine. There are frequently police checkpoints at the exits of the major ferry ports to check whether drivers have the required safety equipment, so it is best to ensure that you have all the necessary equipment before travelling to France.

2 stroke

CiniO wrote: »

Every car in international traffic, has to be equipped as required in country of registration.

My understanding is that you comply with the laws of the country you are visiting. We have to use beam benders on the continent. What you are talking about is vehicle characteristics that cannot be changed easily, like left hand drive.

CiniO

2 stroke wrote: »

My understanding is that you comply with the laws of the country you are visiting. We have to use beam benders on the continent. What you are talking about is vehicle characteristics that cannot be changed easily, like left hand drive.

The problem seems to be not as straight as it looks like.

According to Convention on Road Traffic, from Vienna in 1968, all cars in international traffic, has to comply with technical requirements from country of registration.

The only confusing thing here might be what exactly is a technical requirement.

To be honest to know exactly, you would have to know the local Law of the country you are visiting.

I'll write about Poland, as I'm familiar with Polish regulations.
There is an "Vehicle technical requirements act" which includes all requirement for vehicles to be allowed to drive on the road.
Among other things, it includes requirement for every vehicle to be fitted with fire extinguisher.

But if f.e. you decide to drive your Irish registered car to Poland, you can't be expected to have an fire extinguisher in your car, as according to Vienna Convention, all cars in international traffic has to comply with technical requirements from country of registration.
Polish Vehicle technical requirements act, applies only to vehicles registered in Poland.

But now on the other hand, in Polish road traffic act, it's stated, that every driver must not drive a vehicle with studded tyres. So if someone with a car registered in Sweden (where studded winter tyres are very common and obviously legal) will drive to Poland, he might be fined for it, as it is forbidden to drive a vehicle with studded tyres in Poland. Vienna convention here has nothing to do with it, as this is not technical requirement, but it's the road traffic law, which all drivers who drive in certain country has to adhere.

So to be 100% sure how it works in France, we would have to take a look at French law, and see if hi-vis vests, or spare bulbs, is part of technical requirement for cars, or is it described in road traffic law, as something that every driver has to have while driving.

PS. Warning triangle is an exception, as it's specified in Vienna convention, that contracting parties might require warning triangle from foreign registered vehicles, even if it's not required in country of registrations.
The same goes to beam-benders for lights.
But that's just the power that Vienna convention gives to each country.
You would need to check local Law, to be sure if they are really required or not.
For example before driving my Irish registered car to Poland, I checked all regulations, and discovered, it's not necessary to use beam-benders on cars registered abroad.