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Is it illegal to have white light coming from the back of your vehicle?

It is illegal to have white light coming from the back of your vehicle in Kenya. This is because it can be confusing to other road users and can cause accidents.

The Traffic Act, 2016, which was revised in 2019, specifies the requirements for lights on vehicles in Kenya. Section 55 of the Act states that no vehicle shall be fitted with a lamp which is capable of showing any light to the rear, other than a red light, except for amber light from a direction indicator or side marker lamp.

The National Police Service has launched a crackdown on unauthorized LED lights on vehicles, citing that such modifications are in violation of Section 55 of the Traffic Act.

The police have stated that the modifications that are illegal are those that can cause harm to other road users, cause harm to the vehicles occupants by compromising vehicle safety, create a public nuisance and or those that make it impossible to identify as per the law.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction

  2. Traffic Act, 2016

  3. National Police Service Crackdown

  4. Case Laws

  5. Conclusion

  6. TLDR

Traffic Act, 2016

The Traffic Act, 2016, is the primary legislation that governs road traffic in Kenya. The Act sets out the rules and regulations that all road users must follow, including drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and cyclists.

The Act is divided into several parts, each dealing with a specific aspect of road traffic. Part IV of the Act deals with the licensing and registration of vehicles. Section 55 of the Act deals with the requirements for lights on vehicles.

Section 55(2) of the Act states that:

No vehicle shall be fitted with a lamp which is capable of showing any light to the rear, other than a red light, except–

(a) amber light from a direction indicator or side marker lamp;

This means that it is illegal to have any light other than red light coming from the back of your vehicle, except for amber light from a direction indicator or side marker lamp.

National Police Service Crackdown

The National Police Service has launched a crackdown on unauthorized LED lights on vehicles. The police have stated that such modifications are in violation of Section 55 of the Traffic Act.

The police have stated that the modifications that are illegal are those that can cause harm to other road users, cause harm to the vehicles occupants by compromising vehicle safety, create a public nuisance and or those that make it impossible to identify as per the law.

Case Laws

There are no specific case laws on the legality of white light coming from the back of a vehicle in Kenya. However, there are several case laws that deal with the general principles of road safety and the interpretation of the Traffic Act.

For example, in the case of Republic v. Kamau, the court held that the Traffic Act is intended to promote road safety and that any act that is likely to endanger the safety of other road users is illegal.

In the case of Republic v. Otieno, the court held that the Traffic Act should be interpreted in a way that is consistent with the principles of road safety.

Conclusion

It is illegal to have white light coming from the back of your vehicle in Kenya. This is because it can be confusing to other road users and can cause accidents.

The Traffic Act, 2016, specifies the requirements for lights on vehicles in Kenya. Section 55 of the Act states that no vehicle shall be fitted with a lamp which is capable of showing any light to the rear, other than a red light, except for amber light from a direction indicator or side marker lamp.

The National Police Service has launched a crackdown on unauthorized LED lights on vehicles, citing that such modifications are in violation of Section 55 of the Traffic Act.

TLDR

It is illegal to have white light coming from the back of your vehicle in Kenya. This is because it can be confusing to other road users and can cause accidents.

Sources:

  • Traffic Act, 2016

  • NTV Kenya

  • Republic v. Kamau

  • Republic v. Otieno

Answered by mwakili.com