Mandatory car equipment is a frequent feature that police investigate during roadside checks. For many drivers, it used to be a scarecrow, but from 1 October 2018, however, the compulsory equipment in many cases has been simplified. So what is mandatory in 2019 to carry with you and what is no longer necessary?
For 2019, the compulsory equipment of the car consists of a reflective vest, a warning triangle, and a first-aid kit. Conversely, a set of fuses and spare bulbs is no longer mandatory. The amendment of the Decree on Approval of Technical Capability and Technical Conditions of Operation of Vehicles on Roads. Thus reflects the technical achievements of 21st-century cars. After all, in times of xenon and diode headlamps, the driver does not change his bulb anyway.
In this context, the simplified obligation to carry a spare wheel and replacement kit must also be mentioned. If the car is equipped with so-called run-flat tires (such as run-flat) allowing for puncture indication and emergency landing, the spare wheel is not mandatory.
The reserve does not have to be carried even by those drivers who, thanks to the assistance service, have secured the replacement or repair of a damaged tire continuously throughout the Czech Republic. An alternative to a spare wheel is the tire repair kit.
However, if you do not meet any of these requirements, you must continue to carry a spare wheel (tire rim), including a wheel nut wrench and a hand lift with sufficient load capacity.
As far as the medicine chest is concerned, from October 2018 it does not have to be a three-pointed scarf, a patch with a cushion and a plastic mask. Similarly, there is an obligation to change the first aid kit because of the end of expiration. However, if you use any of the elements, you must, of course, add it.
And what is compulsory in the first aid kit? It consists of the following seven elements: one-pad finished bandage, two-pad finished bandage, smooth reel patch, rubber throttle bandage, rubber latex gloves, scissors, and isothermal foil, at least 200 x 140 centimeters.
When traveling abroad, it is not a matter of seeing the mandatory equipment in that country. Yes, while the Vienna Convention of 1968 applies that the vehicle should be equipped according to the country in which it is registered, but its enforceability is sometimes problematic. While local police officers have to take into account the fact that in the Czech Republic mandatory equipment may differ from the country, but the duplication of laws often complicates the situation. For example, when it is the duty to put on a reflective vest when getting out of a vehicle on a motorway – the Vienna Convention no longer applies.
Therefore, when traveling abroad, we recommend carrying a tow rope or reflective vest for all crew members (not only for the driver), which should also be within reach, so they should be located in the cabin and not at the bottom of the baggage. In Bulgaria or Poland, it is mandatory to carry a fire extinguisher with you, in France an alcohol tester. In winter, pay attention to the local obligation of winter tires.