Interpretation

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires“at night” means from half an hour after sunset until half an hour before sunrise; 10 “Board” means the Transport Board established in accordance with section 4; “Department” means the Department of Transport established in accordance with section 3 for the registration, licensing and control of all vehicles; “freight passenger vehicle” means a motor vehicle constructed for the purpose of carrying both passengers and goods and which is approved by the Department as suitable for that purpose; “goods vehicle” means a motor vehicle which is so constructed as to show that its primary purpose is the carriage or haulage of goods, merchandise or other loads; “inspector” means any person appointed under this Act to examine motor vehicles or for other purposes of this Act; “International Convention” means any international agreement for the time being in force relative to the international circulation of motor vehicles and trailers which applies to “land tractor” means a tractor designed and used for work on the land in connection with forestry or road making and similar operations which is driven on a public road only when proceeding to and from such work and which when so driven hauls or carries nothing other than implements connected with such operations; “maximum gross weight” or “m.g.w.” in reference to a goods vehicle and a freight passenger vehicle, means the tare together with the load including the weight of the driver and that of any other person carried on the vehicle, and in reference to a motor omnibus, means the tare together with the weight of the driver, conductor, the number of passengers for which the vehicle is licensed and their luggage, and for the purposes of this Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic [CAP. 230 11 definition the weight of a person shall be taken as one hundred and twenty-six pounds; “motor cycle” means a motor vehicle with less than four wheels and the weight of which unladen does not exceed eight hundred pounds; “motor lorry” means a goods vehicle which is, itself, constructed to carry goods, merchandise or other loads; “motor omnibus” means a public service vehicle other than one licensed as a freight passenger vehicle or as a taxi; “motor vehicle” means any mechanically propelled vehicle intended or adapted for use on roads; “municipality” means the cities of Belize City and Belmopan and the towns of Corozal, Orange Walk, Benque Viejo del Carmen, San Ignacio/Santa Elena, Dangriga, Punta Gorda and San Pedro (including the remainder of Ambergris Caye as well as Caye Caulker and St. George’s Caye); “municipal authority” means Belize City Council and Belmopan City Council and the Town Councils of Corozal, Orange Walk, Benque Viejo del Carmen, San Ignacio/Santa Elena, Dangriga, Punta Gorda and San Pedro; “overtaking” includes passing or attempting to pass any other vehicle proceeding in the same direction; (a) includes a part owner, and any agent or attorney of an owner or part owner, of a (b) in the case of a vehicle which is registered, means the person in whose name the vehicle is registered; 12 (c) in the case of a vehicle which is the subject of a hire purchase agreement, means the person in possession of the vehicle under that agreement; and (d) in case the registered owner of a vehicle is absent from Belize, means the person in actual charge or possession of the vehicle in Belize; “parking place” means a place where motor vehicles, or motor vehicles of any particular class or description, may wait; “pickup” means a goods or passenger vehicle so designed by the manufacturer the maximum tare weight of which does not exceed three thousand, three hundred and sixty pounds and which for the purpose of speed limit shall be classed under “other vehicles”; “private motor car” means any motor vehicle, other than a goods vehicle, the weight of which unladen exceeds eight hundred pounds and which does not fall within the definition of a public service vehicle; “public road” means any road within a town and any road declared to be a public road by the Minister by Order, and any road maintained wholly or partly from public funds; “public service vehicle” means a motor vehicle used for carrying passengers for hire or reward, whether at separate and distinct fares for their respective places or not; “road” means any street, road or open space to which the public are granted access and any bridge over which a road passes, and includes any privately owned street, road or open space to which the public are granted access either generally or conditionally; “tare” means the actual weight of a motor vehicle when unladen but inclusive of the body, accumulators, loose tools, spare Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic [CAP. 230 13 wheels and other usual equipment and a full supply of water and fuel used for the purposes of propulsion; “taxi” means a public service vehicle having seating accommodation for not more than six passengers and which is of a type approved by the Department as suitable for the ordinary purpose of a taxi; “ton” means the imperial ton of two thousand, two hundred and forty pounds; “tractor” means any motor vehicle constructed or used for the purpose of hauling trailers whether or not it is itself capable of carrying passengers or goods but does not include a motor lorry so constructed except when such motor lorry is hauling a trailer; “traffic” includes bicycles, tricycles, motor vehicles, other vehicles of every description, pedestrians, and all animals being ridden, driven or led on any road; “traffic warden” means a person appointed in accordance with section 3 for the enforcement of traffic laws and, where the context allows, includes the Chief Transport Officer; “trailer” means any vehicle which has no independent motor power of its own and which is attached to a tractor or other motor vehicle, but does not include a side-car attached to a motor cycle; “transport officer” means a person appointed in accordance with section 3 and, where the context allows, includes the Chief Transport Officer; and “vehicle” includes carriages, wagons, carts, motor vehicles, bicycles, tricycles, vans, hand carts, trucks, barrows and all other machines for the portage of goods or persons on any road.