Highway Traffic Act
R.R.O. 1990, REGULATION 596
GENERAL
Historical version for the period July 1, 2019 to April 8, 2024.
Last amendment: 233/19.
Legislative History: 537/97, 213/03, 406/09, 228/15, 375/17, 233/19.
This is the English version of a bilingual regulation.
Headlamps
1. (1) In this section and in sections 2, 3 and 4,
“beam” means the light projected from a pair of lighted headlamps. O. Reg. 213/03, s. 1.
(2) In this section and in sections 2, 3, 4 and 4.1,
“headlamp” means one of the lamps on the front of a motor vehicle required by subsection 62 (1) of the Act. O. Reg. 213/03, s. 1.
2. (1) Subject to section 3, the headlamps on a motor vehicle shall be capable of projecting at least two beams, so controlled that only one beam can be selected for use by the driver of the motor vehicle at any one time according to the requirements of traffic. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 596, s. 2 (1).
(2) One beam shall be a lower or passing beam so aimed that none of the high intensity portion of the beam that is directed,
(a) to the left of the vehicle, is higher than 127 millimetres below; or
(b) to the right of the vehicle, is higher than,
the horizontal line through the centre of the headlamp from which it comes, at a distance of 7.6 metres ahead of the headlamp, when the vehicle is not loaded, and the high intensity portion of the lower or passing beam shall not rise higher than 1.07 metres above the level on which the vehicle stands at a distance of 22.9 metres ahead of the vehicle. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 596, s. 2 (2).
3. Headlamps on motor vehicles manufactured and sold before the 1st day of August, 1939, may provide a single beam of light if the single beam complies with the following requirements and limitations:
1. The headlamps shall be so aimed that when the vehicle is not loaded, none of the high intensity portion of the light shall, at a distance of 7.6 metres ahead of the vehicle, rise higher than a level of 127 millimetres below the horizontal centre of the headlamp from which it comes and, at a distance of 22.9 metres ahead, shall not rise higher than 1.07 metres above the level on which the vehicle stands.
2. No lighting device of more than thirty-two mean spherical candela shall be used in a single beam headlamp. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 596, s. 3.
4. No lighting device of over four mean spherical candela shall be carried on a motor vehicle unless it is equipped with a device for the elimination of glare approved by the Minister. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 596, s. 4.
4.1 (1) A headlamp that emits a white light only may be coated or covered with a coloured material if the headlamp,
(a) is a halogen sealed beam lamp,
(i) that complies with,
(A) the U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 49CFR571.108, as it reads on the day this section comes into force, including being marked by the manufacturer with the manufacturer’s name or trademark and the DOT symbol, or
(B) clause 108.1 (a) (iii) of the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations SOR/78-257 made under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Canada), as it reads on the day this section comes into force, including being marked by the manufacturer with the manufacturer’s name or trademark, the ECE symbol (a circle surrounding the letter E) and a designation commencing with the letter H, and
(ii) that was manufactured with a coating or covering of coloured material; or
(b) contains one or more replaceable halogen bulbs,
(i) that comply with,
(A) the U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards 49CFR571.108, as it reads on the day this section comes into force, including being marked by the manufacturer with the manufacturer’s name or trademark, the DOT symbol and the bulb type, or
(B) clauses 108.1 (a) (i) and (ii) of the Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations SOR/78-257 made under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act (Canada), as it reads on the day this section comes into force, including being marked by the manufacturer with the manufacturer’s name or trademark, the ECE symbol (a circle surrounding the letter E) and a designation commencing with the letter H, and
(ii) that were manufactured with a coating or covering of coloured material. O. Reg. 213/03, s. 2.
(2) Sub-subclauses (1) (a) (i) (B) and (1) (b) (i) (B) apply with necessary modifications to a replacement halogen sealed beam lamp or a replacement halogen bulb as if it were a halogen sealed beam lamp or a halogen bulb connected to a headlamp assembly by the manufacturer of the motor vehicle. O. Reg. 213/03, s. 2.
(3) Subsection (1) does not apply if the halogen sealed beam lamp or replaceable halogen bulb,
(a) is connected to a headlamp assembly or installed on a motor vehicle for which it is not designed;
(b) is coated or covered with a coloured material after its manufacture; or
(c) is altered after its manufacture, other than as described in clause (b). O. Reg. 213/03, s. 2.
Width of Tires
5. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2), commercial motor vehicles having a gross weight in Column 1 of the following Table with rear tires of less than the widths set opposite thereto in Column 2 shall not be operated upon a highway:
TABLE
|
Item |
Column 1 |
Column 2 |
|
1 |
2090 kg or less |
88 mm |
|
2 |
More than 2090 kg but not more than 2410 kg |
101 mm |
|
3 |
More than 2410 kg but not more than 2750 kg |
114 mm |
|
4 |
More than 2750 kg but not more than 3040 kg |
127 mm |
|
5 |
More than 3040 kg but not more than 4360 kg |
152 mm |
|
6 |
More than 4360 kg but not more than 5080 kg |
177 mm |
|
7 |
More than 5080 kg but not more than 5810 kg |
203 mm |
|
8 |
More than 5810 kg but not more than 7260 kg |
254 mm |
|
9 |
More than 7260 kg but not more than 8200 kg |
304 mm |
|
10 |
More than 8200 kg but not more than 10,000 kg |
355 mm |
|
11 |
More than 10,000 kg but not more than 10,890 kg |
406 mm |
|
12 |
More than 10,890 kg but not more than 11,230 kg |
419 mm |
|
13 |
More than 11,230 kg but not more than 12,250 kg |
457 mm |
|
14 |
More than 12,250 kg but not more than 12,700 kg |
508 mm |
R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 596, s. 5 (1); O. Reg. 375/17, s. 1.
(2) In the case of a trailer, a four-wheeled commercial motor vehicle that has its gross weight distributed approximately evenly on all wheels and a commercial motor vehicle that has more than four wheels, the Minister may authorize tires of less width than is prescribed in subsection (1). R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 596, s. 5 (2).
Hydraulic Brake Fluid
6. For the purpose of section 65 of the Act, the prescribed standards and specifications for hydraulic brake fluid and hydraulic system mineral oil are those set out in Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 116 issued by the Road and Motor Vehicle Traffic Safety Branch of Transport Canada or United States Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 116 issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the United States Department of Transport. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 596, s. 6.
7. For the purpose of section 65 of the Act, the prescribed standards for hydraulic brake fluid containers are those set out in S5.2 of United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 116 except that,
(a) S5.2.2.1(d) and S5.2.2.2(a) shall be deemed to read “Certification that the brake fluid conforms to Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 116”;
(b) S5.2.2.1(c) shall be deemed to read “The minimum wet boiling point in Celsius or in Fahrenheit and Celsius of the fluid”;
(c) S5.2.2(f) shall be deemed to read “The minimum wet boiling point in Celsius or in Fahrenheit and Celsius of the DOT brake fluid in the container”; and
(d) S5.2.2(g)(4) shall be deemed to read “CAUTION: DO NOT REFILL CONTAINER, AND DO NOT USE FOR OTHER LIQUIDS. (Not required for containers with a capacity in excess of 20 litres)”. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 596, s. 7.
8. For the purpose of section 65 of the Act, the prescribed colour of hydraulic brake fluid and hydraulic system mineral oil is that set out in S5.1.14 of United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 116. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 596, s. 8.
Safety Seat Belt
9. (1) In this section and in the Schedule,
“safety seat belt” means a single-occupancy lap-type safety seat belt for use in a motor vehicle. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 596, s. 9 (1).
(2) The manufacturer of a safety seat belt shall not sell the belt or offer it for sale in Ontario unless the belt conforms to the standard of performance set out in the Schedule and bears the mark SAE J4. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 596, s. 9 (2).
(3) A manufacturer shall not mark a belt under subsection (2) unless it conforms to the standard of performance set out in the Schedule. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 596, s. 9 (3).
(4) No person shall sell or offer for sale a safety seat belt unless the belt is marked SAE J4. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 596, s. 9 (4).
(5) A safety seat belt bearing a Canadian Standards Association monogram shall be deemed to be marked in compliance with subsections (2), (3) and (4). R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 596, s. 9 (5).
(6) No person shall mark a safety seat belt except in accordance with this section. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 596, s. 9 (6).
10. (1) No person shall operate upon a highway a motorcycle or motor assisted bicycle equipped with handlebars the uppermost portion of which is higher than the unclad shoulder of the operator while the seat is fully depressed by the operator’s weight. O. Reg. 233/19, s. 1.
(2) No person shall be carried as a passenger on a motorcycle operated on a highway except,
(a) in a side car designed to carry a passenger; or
(b) subject to subsection (3), on a seat that is situated to the rear of the seat provided for the operator and that is securely fastened to the motorcycle, which shall be equipped with foot rests for the passenger. R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 596, s. 10 (2).
(3) A person who is a passenger on a motorcycle operated on a highway and who is occupying the seat referred to in clause (2) (b) shall sit astride the seat in such a manner that his or her feet are placed upon the foot rests referred to in clause (2) (b). R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 596, s. 10 (3).
Damage to Property Accident Report
11. For the purpose of subsection 199 (1) of the Act, the prescribed amount for damage to property is $2,000. O. Reg. 537/97, s. 1; O. Reg. 228/15, s. 1.
Schedule
1. (1) The assembled safety seat belt shall withstand a static loop load of not less than 1815 kilograms.
(2) After the assembled safety seat belt has withstood the static loop load referred to in subsection (1),
(a) the release mechanism of the buckle shall be operable; and
(b) the force required to open the buckle shall not exceed 20 kilograms.
2. (1) The part of the belt webbing that is likely to come into contact with the wearer shall be not less than 48 millimetres wide under no load and not less than 46 millimetres wide when subjected to a test load of 1815 kilograms.
(2) When subjected to a test load of 1135 kilograms the elongation of the webbing shall not exceed 25 per cent.
3. Slippage of the webbing in the adjusting mechanism at or near the buckle, in the release mechanism and at the attachment fittings shall not exceed a total of 25 millimetres under the static loop load specified in section 1.
R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 596, Sched.
