§ Mr. Gristasked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will institute an official campaign on the use of car side or parking lights only on moving vehicles during the hours of darkness or adverse daylight conditions.
§ Mr. HoramThe law already requires headlamps to be used in poor daylight conditions and at night except where the road is illuminated by street lamps 581W not more than 200 yards apart. These requirements are also set out in the Highway Code which advises the use of headlamps on all roads at night except where the street lighting is good and invariably on motorways and other high speed roads. Steps have already been taken to publicise [...] but I will consider whether anything more is needed.
§ Mr. Gristasked the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of (a) all road accidents and (b) fatal road accidents are attributable in whole or in part to inadequate vehicle lighting.
§ Mr. HoramI regret that this information is not available on a national basis.
Localised investigations are however conducted by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory into the causes of road accidents and I would refer the hon. Member to their leaflet LF 392 Issue 2, published in April 1975, which contains some information on the Contribution of Vehicle Lighting Defects to Road Accidents.