Circular 43/2023, amending and supplementing Circular 85/2014 on the modification of motor vehicles, stipulates that the installation of separate fog lights on a car is considered a modification but is not regarded as a complete overhaul.
The Traffic Newspaper hotline received a question from a reader asking whether a car fitted with an additional, separate fog light positioned above the headlights will pass the vehicle inspection.
Cars fitted with separate fog lights to improve nighttime visibility must meet installation requirements to avoid failing the vehicle inspection (illustrative image).
Regarding this issue, a representative from a vehicle inspection center in Hanoi stated that Circular 43/2023, amending and supplementing Circular 85/2014 on the modification of motor vehicles, stipulates that one of the cases where a car undergoes changes but is not considered a modification is: installing additional separate fog lights; the car can still be inspected normally.
However, aftermarket fog lights must comply with installation regulations to ensure safety.
Specifically, Circular 30/2024 on vehicle inspections stipulates that, to pass the inspection for added fog lights, the installation position must be more than 400mm from the outermost edge of the vehicle and less than 250mm in height. Importantly, they must not be installed above the headlights, as this could cause the light beam to shine upwards, dazzling drivers of oncoming vehicles and posing a potential traffic safety risk.
This is exactly the case that a reader of the Traffic Newspaper asked about: if fog lights are installed above the headlights, the car will fail this category, meaning it will fail the vehicle inspection.
In addition, a representative from the vehicle inspection center stated that aftermarket fog lights must meet several other criteria to pass inspection. These include: There must be two lights, installed symmetrically; the light color must be white or yellow; and they must be independently switched on and off from the front headlights.
Explaining why fog lights must be switched on and off independently of the headlights, the representative said that using the same switch for fog lights as for headlights is very dangerous, especially when driving in the city or on non-highway roads such as village roads, district roads, provincial roads, and national highways.
The reason is that the light emitted simultaneously from these two types of lights can cause glare, even temporary blindness, for other road users, reducing their ability to see and increasing the risk of traffic accidents.
"Currently, the installation of fog lights in violation of regulations is still common, leading to vehicle inspection failures. When installing them, vehicle owners need to pay attention to the regulations to ensure both traffic safety and a smooth inspection process," emphasized a representative from the vehicle inspection center.
Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/lap-them-den-suong-mu-phia-tren-den-chieu-sang-co-duoc-dang-kiem-19224111016350782.htm
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