Acts and Regulations

M-17 - Motor Vehicle Act

Section 209
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Head lamps
209(1)Every motor vehicle other than a motorcycle or motor-driven cycle shall be equipped with at least two head lamps displaying white lights with at least one on each side of the front of the motor vehicle, which head lamps shall comply with the requirements and limitations set forth in this Part.
209(2)Every motorcycle and every motor-driven cycle shall be equipped with at least one and not more than three head lamps displaying white lights that shall comply with the requirements and limitations of this Part.
209(3)Every head lamp upon every motor vehicle, including every motorcycle and motor-driven cycle, shall be located at a height of not more than one hundred forty centimetres and not less than sixty centimetres except in the case of a motor vehicle that is used, from time to time, in conjunction with snow removal equipment, or that is so designed as to require head lamps at a greater height.
209(4)The head lamps on a motor vehicle shall provide at least two beams, either of which may be selected by the driver according to the requirements of traffic, subject to the following requirements and limitations:
(a) there shall be an upper or main beam, so aimed and of such intensity as to reveal persons and vehicles at a distance of at least one hundred metres ahead for all conditions of loading, and
(b) there shall be a lower or passing beam, so aimed and of sufficient intensity to reveal persons and vehicles at a distance of at least thirty metres ahead; and on a straight level road under any condition of loading none of the high-intensity portion of the beam shall be directed to strike the eyes of an approaching driver.
209(5)No driver of a vehicle, equipped with a head lamp or lamps having more than one beam, and being operated on a highway at any of the times mentioned in section 207 shall, while the upper or main beam of such lamp or lamps is in use or lighted,
(a) approach within one hundred fifty metres of a vehicle proceeding in the opposite direction,
(b) follow within sixty metres to the rear of a vehicle proceeding in the same direction, whether in the act of overtaking or not, or
(c) stop, park or leave the vehicle standing on the highway.
209(6)The head lamp or head lamps upon every motorcycle and motor-driven cycle may be of the single-beam or multiple-beam type but in either event shall comply with the requirements and limitations as follows:
(a) every head lamp or head lamps on a motorcycle or motor-driven cycle shall be of sufficient intensity to reveal a person or a vehicle at a distance of not less than thirty metres when the motorcycle or motor-driven cycle is operated at any speed less than forty kilometres per hour and at a distance of not less than sixty metres when the motorcycle or motor-driven cycle is operated between the speeds of forty and sixty kilometres per hour, and at a distance of not less than one hundred metres when the motorcycle or motor-driven cycle is operated at a speed of more than sixty kilometres per hour,
(b) in the event the motorcycle or motor-driven cycle is equipped with a multiple beam head lamp or head lamps the upper or main beam shall meet the minimum requirements set forth in paragraph (a) and the lower beam shall meet the requirements applicable to a lower or passing beam as set forth in subsection 209(4), and
(c) in the event the motorcycle or motor-driven cycle is equipped with a single beam lamp or lamps, the lamp or lamps shall be so aimed that when the vehicle is loaded none of the high-intensity portion of light, at a distance of seven hundred fifty centimetres ahead, shall project higher than the level of the centre of the lamp from which it comes.
1955, c.13, s.188; 1956, c.19, s.17; 1957, c.21, s.20; 1961-62, c.62, s.76; 1969, c.55, s.8, 9; 1977, c.M-11.1, s.17; 1998, c.30, s.12
Lighting equipment
209(1)Every motor vehicle other than a motorcycle or motor-driven cycle shall be equipped with at least two head lamps displaying white lights with at least one on each side of the front of the motor vehicle, which head lamps shall comply with the requirements and limitations set forth in this Part.
209(2)Every motorcycle and every motor-driven cycle shall be equipped with at least one and not more than three head lamps displaying white lights that shall comply with the requirements and limitations of this Part.
209(3)Every head lamp upon every motor vehicle, including every motorcycle and motor-driven cycle, shall be located at a height of not more than one hundred forty centimetres and not less than sixty centimetres except in the case of a motor vehicle that is used, from time to time, in conjunction with snow removal equipment, or that is so designed as to require head lamps at a greater height.
209(4)The head lamps on a motor vehicle shall provide at least two beams, either of which may be selected by the driver according to the requirements of traffic, subject to the following requirements and limitations:
(a) there shall be an upper or main beam, so aimed and of such intensity as to reveal persons and vehicles at a distance of at least one hundred metres ahead for all conditions of loading, and
(b) there shall be a lower or passing beam, so aimed and of sufficient intensity to reveal persons and vehicles at a distance of at least thirty metres ahead; and on a straight level road under any condition of loading none of the high-intensity portion of the beam shall be directed to strike the eyes of an approaching driver.
209(5)No driver of a vehicle, equipped with a head lamp or lamps having more than one beam, and being operated on a highway at any of the times mentioned in section 207 shall, while the upper or main beam of such lamp or lamps is in use or lighted,
(a) approach within one hundred fifty metres of a vehicle proceeding in the opposite direction,
(b) follow within sixty metres to the rear of a vehicle proceeding in the same direction, whether in the act of overtaking or not, or
(c) stop, park or leave the vehicle standing on the highway.
209(6)The head lamp or head lamps upon every motorcycle and motor-driven cycle may be of the single-beam or multiple-beam type but in either event shall comply with the requirements and limitations as follows:
(a) every head lamp or head lamps on a motorcycle or motor-driven cycle shall be of sufficient intensity to reveal a person or a vehicle at a distance of not less than thirty metres when the motorcycle or motor-driven cycle is operated at any speed less than forty kilometres per hour and at a distance of not less than sixty metres when the motorcycle or motor-driven cycle is operated between the speeds of forty and sixty kilometres per hour, and at a distance of not less than one hundred metres when the motorcycle or motor-driven cycle is operated at a speed of more than sixty kilometres per hour,
(b) in the event the motorcycle or motor-driven cycle is equipped with a multiple beam head lamp or head lamps the upper or main beam shall meet the minimum requirements set forth in paragraph (a) and the lower beam shall meet the requirements applicable to a lower or passing beam as set forth in subsection 209(4), and
(c) in the event the motorcycle or motor-driven cycle is equipped with a single beam lamp or lamps, the lamp or lamps shall be so aimed that when the vehicle is loaded none of the high-intensity portion of light, at a distance of seven hundred fifty centimetres ahead, shall project higher than the level of the centre of the lamp from which it comes.
1955, c.13, s.188; 1956, c.19, s.17; 1957, c.21, s.20; 1961-62, c.62, s.76; 1969, c.55, s.8, 9; 1977, c.M-11.1, s.17; 1998, c.30, s.12