Two- or three-wheeled motor vehicles: restraint devices for passengers

1) OBJECTIVE

To harmonize the laws of the Member States and establish a type-approval procedure with regard to restraint devices for passengers on two-wheeled motor vehicles.

2) ACT

Council Directive 93/32/EEC of 14 June 1993 on restraint devices for passengers on two-wheeled motor vehicles [Official Journal L 188 of 29.07.1993].

Amended by the following:

Commission Directive 1999/24/EC of 9 April 1999 [Official Journal L 104 of 21.04.1999].

3) SUMMARY

Directive 93/32/EEC

This proposal comes under the type- approval procedure for two- or three-wheeled motor vehicles which was initially put in place by Council Directive 92/61/EEC but was subsequently repealed and replaced by Directive 2002/24/EC.

The vehicles covered by the proposal are as follows:

• mopeds: two-wheeled vehicles powered by an engine having a cylinder capacity not exceeding 50 cm3 and having a maximum design speed not exceeding 45 km/h;
• motorcycles: two-wheeled vehicles with or without sidecar powered by an engine having a cylinder capacity of more than 50 cm3 and/or having a maximum design speed of more than 45 km/h.

General requirements concerning the design and fitting of restraint systems:

• the restraint system must take the form of a belt or handgrip(s);
• the belt and its attachment must be able to withstand, without snapping or suffering permanent deformation, a vertical traction force of 2 000 N applied statically to the centre of the surface of the strap at a maximum pressure of 2 MPa;
• the handgrip must be able to withstand, without snapping or suffering permanent deformation, a vertical traction force of 2 000 N applied statically to the centre of the surface of the handgrip at a maximum pressure of 2 MPa; if two handgrips are used, each must be able to withstand, without snapping or suffering permanent deformation, a vertical traction force of 1 000 N applied statically to the centre of the surface of the handgrip at a maximum pressure of 1 MPa.

Procedure for adapting requirements to technical progress.

Procedure for granting type-approval:

• the application for type-approval is submitted by the manufacturer to the competent authority of a Member State;
• the competent authority grants type-approval in respect of the restraint system if the latter fulfils the technical requirements of this proposal and matches the data supplied by the manufacturer;
• the competent authority fills in to this effect the type-approval certificate to be found attached to the proposal.

The requirements relating to passenger restraint systems form part of a set of 47 characteristics provided for by Council Directive 92/61/EEC which must all be observed by manufacturers so that two- or three-wheeled motor vehicles may be type-approved and placed on the Community market.

Directive 1999/24/EC

Developments in technology permit an adaptation of Directive 93/32/EEC to technical progress. In order to ensure the proper functioning of the type-approval system as a whole, Directive 1999/24/EC adapts the provisions relating to the attachment of the strap and also the references contained in Part B of the information document.

The strap must be fitted to the seat or to other parts connected to the frame in such a way that it may easily be used by the passenger. The strap and its attachment must be designed in such a way that they withstand, without snapping, a vertical traction force of 2000 N applied statically to the centre of the surface of the strap at a maximum pressure of 2 Mpa.

Last updated: 18.07.2005