Controls, tell-tales and indicators for two or three-wheel motor vehicles
This Directive defines the procedures applying to two or three-wheel vehicles and quadricycles, particularly as regards controls, tell-tales and indicators. It contains technical prescriptions concerning the approximation of the laws of the Member States to allow for the application of the EC type-approval procedure provided for in Directive 2002/24/EC.
ACT
Directive 2009/80/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009 on the identification of controls, tell-tales and indicators for two or three-wheel motor vehicles (Codified version) (Text with EEA relevance).
SUMMARY
This Directive lays down the technical prescriptions applying to the design and construction of two or three-wheel motor vehicles as regards the identification of controls *, tell-tales * and indicators *.
This Directive applies to vehicles covered by the Directive relating to the type-approval of two or three-wheel motor vehicles, namely:
- mopeds: two- or three-wheel vehicles fitted with an engine having a cylinder capacity not exceeding 50 cm3 and a maximum design speed of not more than 45 km/h;
- motorcycles: two-wheel vehicles with or without a sidecar, fitted with an engine having a cylinder capacity of more than 50 cm3 and/or a maximum design speed of more than 45 km/h.
- tricycles: symmetrical three-wheel vehicles fitted with an engine having a cylinder capacity of more than 50 cm3 and/or a maximum design speed of more than 45 km/h;
- quadricycles: four-wheel vehicles fitted with an engine having a cylinder capacity of 50 cm3 or less, having a maximum speed of 45 km/h and an unladen mass of less than 350 kg, are considered to be mopeds, while other quadricycles are classed as tricycles.
Requirements
Controls, tell-tales and indicators must comply with the following requirements:
- the symbols shall stand out clearly against the background;
- the symbols shall be placed on the control or control tell-tale to be identified or in immediate proximity thereof;
- main-beam headlights shall be represented by parallel horizontal rays of light and dipped-beam headlamps by parallel rays of light angled downwards;
- the following colour codes must be used:
- red: danger
- amber: caution
- green: safety
- blue: main beam headlamp tell-tales.
Equivalence between the requirements laid down in this Directive and those laid down in UNECE Regulation No 60 is hereby acknowledged.
Member States may refuse to grant EC type-approval for any new type of vehicle if the requirements of this Directive applying to the identification of controls, tell-tales and indicators are not fulfilled.
Information
An information document must be attached to the application for EC component type-approval if this is submitted separately from the application for an EC vehicle type-approval. This document should contain the following information:
- make;
- type;
- vehicle category;
- photographs or drawings of the layout of the symbols.
This Directive repeals Directive 93/29/EC.
REFERENCES
| Act | Entry into force | Deadline for transposition in the Member States | Official Journal |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Directive 2009/80/EC |
24.8.2009 |
1.1.2010 |
OJ L 2020 of 4.8.2009 |



