LORRIES AND TRUCKS (Rear bumpers)

Mr Imram bin Mohamed asked the Minister for Communications whether lorries and trucks are required to have rear bumpers and, if not, why not.

Mr Mah Bow Tan: Sir, since September 1993, all motor vehicles, including lorries and trucks, with a maximum laden weight of 8 tonnes or more, and trailers are required to be fitted with rear under-run bumpers before they can be registered. Existing vehicles were given two years up to September 1995 to retrofit their under-run bumpers. Since 1st September 1994, this requirement also applied to newly registered vehicles with a maximum laden weight of more than 3.5 tonnes. The under-run bumpers fitted to the rear of heavy vehicles can help to cushion the impact of collisions by smaller vehicles and thus minimise injuries and fatalities for the occupants of the smaller vehicles.

Mr Imram bin Mohamed (Nominated Member): Sir, if the grace period is over now, how come we can observe that there are still quite a number of lorries on the road without these under-run bumpers?

Mr Mah Bow Tan: Sir, the grace period expired in September 1995. As and when these vehicles come in for inspection, they will be required to be fitted with these bumpers. 1.30 pm

Mr Speaker: Order. End of Question time.

[Pursuant to Standing Order No. 21(3), Question No. 11 has been postponed to the sitting of Parliament on 12th March, 1996.]