Council Directive of 1 March 1971 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the rear-view mirrors of motor vehicles (71/127/EEC) (repealed)

[F1 5. FIELDS OF VISION U.K.

5.1. General U.K.

The fields of vision defined below must apply in respect of ambinocular vision, the eyes being at the ‘ driver's ocular points ’ as defined in item 12 of Annex I above. The fields of vision shall be determined when the vehicle is in running order as defined in item 2.6 of Annex I to Directive 70/156/EEC and is carrying in addition one front-seat passenger, the mass of the passenger being 75 kilograms ± 1 %. They must be established through windows which have a total light transmission factor of at least 70 % measured perpendicularly to the surface.

5.2. Interior rear-view mirror (Class I) U.K.

The field of vision must be such that the driver can see at least a 20-m-wide, flat, horizontal portion of the road centred on the vertical longitudinal median plane of the vehicle and extending from 60 m behind the driver's ocular points (Figure 3) to the horizon.

5.3. Main exterior rear-view mirrors (Classes II and III) U.K.

5.3.1. Left-hand exterior rear-view mirror for vehicles driven on the right of the road and right-hand exterior rear-view mirror for vehicles driven on the left of the road U.K.

5.3.1.1. The field of vision must be such that the driver can see at least a 2,50-m-wide, flat, horizontal portion of the road, which is bounded on the right (in the case of vehicles driven on the right), or on the left (in the case of vehicles driven on the left) by the plane which is parallel to the median longitudinal vertical plane passing through the outermost point of the vehicle on the left (in the case of vehicles driven on the right), or on the right (in the case of vehicles driven on the left) and extends from 10 m behind the driver's ocular points to the horizon (Figures 4 and 5). U.K.

5.3.2. Right-hand exterior rear-view mirror for vehicles driven on the right and left-hand exterior rear-view mirror for vehicles driven on the left U.K.

5.3.2.1. In the case of category M ₁ vehicles and category N ₁ vehicles having a maximum weight not exceeding 2 tonnes, the field of vision must be such that the driver can see at least a 4-m-wide flat, horizontal portion of the road which is bounded on the left (in the case of vehicles driven on the right), or on the right (in the case of vehicles driven on the left) by a plane parallel to the median longitudinal vertical plane passing through the outermost point of the vehicle on the right (in the case of vehicles driven on the right) or on the left (in the case of vehicles driven on the left) and which extends from 20 m behind the driver's ocular points to the horizon (see Figure 4). U.K.

5.3.2.2. In the case of vehicles other than those referred to in item 5.3.2.1 above, the field of vision must be such that the driver can see at least a 3,50-m-wide, flat, horizontal portion of the road, which is bounded on the left (in the case of vehicles driven on the right), or on the right (in the case of vehicles driven on the left) by a plane parallel to the median longitudinal vertical plane of the vehicle and passing through the outermost point of the vehicle on the right (in the case of vehicles driven on the right) or on the left (in the case of vehicles driven on the left) and which extends from 30 m behind the driver's ocular points to the horizon. U.K.

In addition, the road must be visible to the driver over a width of 0,75 m, from a point 4 m behind the vertical plane passing through the driver's ocular points (Figure 5).

5.4. ‘Wide-angle’ exterior rear-view mirror (Class IV) U.K.

5.4.1. The field of vision must be such that the driver can see at least a 12,50-m-wide, flat, horizontal portion of the road, which is bounded on the left (in the case of vehicles driven on the right), or on the right (in the case of vehicles driven on the left) by a plane parallel to the median longitudinal vertical plane of the vehicle and passing through the outermost point of the vehicle on the right (in the case of vehicles driven on the right) or on the left (in the case of vehicles driven on the left) and which extends from at least 15 m to 25 m behind the driver's ocular points. In addition, the road must be visible to the driver over a width of 2,5 m, from a point 3 m behind the vertical plane passing through the driver's ocular points (see Figure 6). U.K.

5.5. ‘Close-proximity’ exterior rear-view mirror (Class V) U.K.

The field of vision must be such that the driver can see a flat horizontal portion of the road along the side of the vehicle, bounded by the following vertical planes (see Figures 7a and 7b):

5.5.1. the plane parallel to the median longitudinal vertical plane of the vehicle which passes through a point 0,2 m beyond the outermost point of the vehicle cab on the right [F2 (for left-hand drive vehicles)] or on the left [F2 (for right-hand drive vehicles)] ; U.K.

Textual Amendments

F2 Substituted by Commission Directive of 16 May 1988 adapting to technical progress Council Directive 71/127/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the rear-view mirrors of motor vehicles (88/321/EEC).

5.5.2. in the transverse direction, the parallel plane passing at a distance of 1 m in front of the plane mentioned in item 5.5.1; U.K.

5.5.3. to the rear, the plane parallel to the vertical plane passing through the driver's ocular points and situated at a distance of 1,25 m behind that plane; U.K.

5.5.4. to the front, the plane parallel to the vertical plane passing through the driver's ocular points and situated at a distance of 1 m in front of that plane. If the vertical transverse plane passing through the leading edge of the vehicle bumper is less than 1 m in front of the vertical plane passing through the driver's ocular points, the field of vision shall be limited to that plane (see Figure 7b). U.K.

5.6. In the case of rear-view mirrors consisting of several reflecting surfaces which are either of different curvature or make an angle with each other, at least one of the reflecting surfaces must provide the field of vision and have the dimensions (see item 2.2.2 of Annex II) specified for the class to which they belong. U.K.

5.7. Obstructions U.K.

5.7.1. Interior rear-view mirror (Class I) U.K.

5.7.1.1. A reduction in the field of vision due to the presence of devices such as head-restraints, sun-visors, rear window wipers and heating elements is permissible, provided that all these devices together do not obscure more than 15 % of the specified field of vision. U.K.

5.7.1.2. The degree of obstruction is measured with the headrests adjusted to their lowest possible position and with the sun-visors folded back. U.K.

5.7.2. Exterior rear-view mirrors (Classes II, III, IV and V) U.K.

In the fields of vision specified above, obstruction due to the bodywork and some of its components, such as door handles, outline marker lights, direction indicators and the extremities of rear bumpers, as well as reflective-surface cleaning components, shall not be taken into account if they are responsible for a total obstruction of less than 10 % of the specified field of vision.

5.8. Test procedure U.K.

The field of vision shall be determined by placing powerful light sources at the ocular points and examining the light reflected on the vertical monitoring screen. Other, equivalent, methods may be used.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Substituted by Commission Directive of 18 February 1985 adapting to technical progress Council Directive 71/127/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the rear-view mirrors of motor vehicles (85/205/EEC).