With the Decree of October, there was no obligation for drivers to carry bulbs or fuses in the car, and the contents of the first-aid kit changed. Almost none noticed that a mandatory vest was missing in the mandatory equipment. The ministry tried to simplify the decree and go on the way of the Austrians. Experts, however, draw attention to complications in interpreting the law.
The Ministry of Transport has simplified the technical equipment of the car. The first day of October last year came into force Decree No. 208/2018 Coll., Which amended the Decree on the approval of the technical competence of a car and on the technical conditions for the operation of the road vehicle (No. 341/2014 Coll.). You do not have to carry any replacement bulbs that most drivers can not replace, as well as fuses or under certain conditions a spare wheel. And from the first-aid kit, a lot of things could be eliminated by the driver.
The Czech Republic was one of the last countries where the law ordered riders to carry this gear. By the ministry, the ministry has made things much easier, and it is actually the way of the Austrians, who also do not have to carry everything from the flashlight to the light bulbs, but their equipment is mainly related to the driver and is rather his responsibility to be prepared for any hardship.
But few have noticed that after the amendment has dropped out of the decree, and therefore from the mandatory equipment of the car, also recommended and experts so much discussed reflex vest. This is only mentioned in the Road Traffic Act No. 361/2000 Coll., According to which the driver must wear it if he/she is traveling on the road outside the village in an emergency. In the municipality, the obligation to wear reflective tapes does not apply.
Fraud experts criticize the law because this innovation can lead to speculation in both roadside and roadside checks, but also to reduce road safety.
“I’m surprised that almost no one noticed. Everyone, following the amendment of this Decree, limited itself to information on incandescent lamps, fuses, and the contents of the first aid kit. Thanks to this we almost missed a big topic of visibility of road users and possible complications associated with the missing vest in the vehicle, “commented Martin Bedded, a transport specialist from Dekra, who pointed out in the paragraphs.
He added that it is imperative to alert the driver to the absence of a vest, as it should be clearly and completely defined in the decree, in order to avoid speculations and interpretations of the law in practice. Now, the driver needs to have a vest in the car.
The ministry insists that the vest is part of the mandatory equipment. However, there is no de facto rule in the decree. The editors of iDNES., therefore, asked for the interpretation of Michael Dlabol’s transport law expert. “It is necessary to distinguish between compulsory equipment, ie between what must always be in the vehicle and between what the driver must wear sometimes. And since the reflective vest from October 1, 2018, fell out of the decree on the approval of technical competence and technical conditions for the operation of vehicles on the road, there is no doubt that it is no longer part of the mandatory equipment, “Dlabola pointed out.
This is equally perceived by transport expert Roman Budsky from the new security platform Vision Zero. “Reflective vest is no longer listed in mandatory vehicle equipment. It’s hard to say whether this is a mistake or intention on the part of the ministry, “he said.
The topic of visibility is often discussed and road safety experts often remind the vest. In addition, since February 2016, the Czech Republic has introduced an obligation to provide retro-reflective fabric for pedestrians outside the village. “For this reason, the absence of a reflective vest in the mandatory equipment of the vehicle seems to be a mistake. If the fault actually occurred, immediate remedy is in place, “Bednar recalls.
What does it mean in practice? The driver does not have to carry her in the car. “This means that if a driver does anything other than to move on a road outside the village in an emergency because of an accident, a break or nausea, no one can be penalized and fined for not having a reflective vest in the vehicle. The police can not blame the driver even if he is in an emergency in the village or if he is out of the village, but he will not be on the road, “Michal Dlabola, law expert on traffic law, explained.
Because the vest is not listed directly in the decree, the technicians should not be interested in the technical equipment of the vehicle, who should not be involved in the technical examination of the car, and thus threaten the driver that his car will not pass the STK due to the missing vest. Controls are subject to mandatory items only.