John Cregan (Limerick West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 595: To ask the Minister for Transport the position on the use of mud flaps on the wheels of HGVs; if the regulations are in force here; if so, if there are EU directives on the issue not yet being operated here; if there are statistics on accidents caused by spray from roads; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1988/05]

Ivor Callely (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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Irish regulations require that, subject to certain exemptions, every vehicle and every trailer attached to a vehicle should be equipped with wings or other similar devices to catch, so far as practicable, mud or water thrown up by the rotation of the wheels, unless adequate protection is afforded by the body of the vehicle.

Directive 91/226/EEC sets out the technical requirements that a spray suppression system must meet to obtain EC type approval certification for heavy goods vehicles. The purpose of the directive is to ensure that national standards for spray suppression equipment do not constitute barriers to trade. The directive ensures this by setting type approval standards and requiring that the sale of new vehicles fitted with the specified equipment may not be prohibited in any member state.

While the directive does not require member states to make spray suppression systems obligatory, my Department is considering whether it should do so. Statistics relating to road accidents caused by spray from vehicles are not available.