Interpretation

In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires“Act” means the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act; Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic [CAP. 230 79 “articulated vehicle” means a motor vehicle with a trailer so attached to the drawing vehicle that part of the trailer is superimposed upon the drawing vehicle, and when the trailer is uniformly loaded part of the weight of its load is borne by the “Department” means the Department of Transport; “direct in transit” means transit through Belize, by an international service provider, without dropping off or picking up any passengers on the route; “express service” in relation to a motor omnibus, means the service offered by an operator which departs from one designated point and takes a route to another designated point without stopping to carry on or drop off passengers in between the route; “forward drive vehicle” means a motor vehicle so constructed that the distance measured horizontally and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle between two vertical planes at right angles to such axis passing through the two points specified hereunder does not exceed 80"– (i) the foremost point of the vehicle, (ii) the rearmost point of the driver’s seat; “height” means the height measured vertically and at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle between two parallel planes to such axis passing through the highest point of the body or any load thereon and the ground; “hotel charter transit” means transit into Belize by an international service provider, which stops and departs from a hotel designated in the manifest of international passengers and without dropping off or picking up any passengers on the route; 80 “indirect in transit” means transit into Belize, by an international service provider, with stops at designated bus terminals in Belize and departure to the country of origin; “individual load” means a load which cannot without undue expense or risk of damage be divided into two or more loads for the purpose of conveyance on a road; “Minister” means the Minister responsible for the operation of the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act; “Ministry” means the Ministry responsible for motor vehicles and road traffic; “one-way street” means a street or road in which vehicles may proceed only in a specified direction, and declared by the Department of Transport to be such by notice published in the Gazette; “overall length” means the length of a motor vehicle measured between parallel planes passing through the extreme projecting points of the motor vehicle, exclusive of– (i) any starting handle, (ii) any hood when down; “overall width” means the width measured between parallel planes passing through the extreme projecting points of the motor vehicle exclusive of the driving mirror and of any direction indicator when in operation and of so much of the distortion of any tyre as is caused by the weight of the motor “overhang” means the distance measured horizontally and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle between two vertical planes at right angles to such axis passing through the two points specified in paragraphs (1) and (2) of this definition, respectivelyMotor Vehicles and Road Traffic [CAP. 230 81 (i) the rearmost point of the motor vehicle exclusive of– (a) any hood when down, (b) any luggage carrier fitted to a private motor car, (ii) (a) in the case of a motor vehicle having only two axles, through the centre point of the rear axle; and (b) in the case of a motor vehicle having three axles where the front axle is the only steering axle, through a point 4" in the rear of the centre of a straight line joining the centre points of the rear and middle axles; “owner” in the case of a motor vehicle registered in the name of a company means the manager or managing director of the company and includes any person for the time being acting in that capacity; “pneumatic tyre” means a tyre which complies in all respects with the following requirements– (i) it shall be provided with a continuous closed chamber containing air at a pressure substantially exceeding atmospheric pressure when the tyre is in the condition in which it is normally used, but is not subjected to any load, (ii) it shall be capable of being inflated and deflated without removal from the wheel or 82 (iii) it shall be such, that when it is deflated and is subject to a normal load, the sides of the tyre collapse; “public stand” means a place appointed by the Department of Transport by notice published in the Gazette where public service vehicles or any particular class of public service vehicles may wait; “registered” means registered for the first time under the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act; “road authority” in the case of a road outside the limits of any town means the Chief Engineer, Public Works Department, and in the case of a road within the limits of a town means the Town Council of such town; “soft solid tyre” means a tyre of rubber or similar elastic material or fabric that does not depend on confined air for the support of the load: Provided that in these Regulations a tyre shall not be deemed a soft solid tyre unless the said tyre is either– (i) continuous round the circumference of the wheel, or (ii) fitted in sections so that so far as reasonably practicable no space is left between the ends thereof, and is of such thickness and design as to minimise, so far as reasonably possible, vibration when the vehicle is in motion, and so constructed as to be free from any defect which might in any way cause damage to the surface of the road; “tandem drive” means in relation to a motor vehicle, a vehicle on which the motive power is delivered through a pair of axles at the rear of the vehicle; Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic [CAP. 230 83 “town” means a town as defined under the Town Boundaries Act; “traffic sign” means marks on the surface of roads, all signals whether automatic electric signals or otherwise, warning sign posts, direction posts and signs or other devices for the guidance or direction of persons using roads; “wheel” in the case of a motor vehicle or trailer means a wheel, the tyre of which when the wheel is in motion on a road is in contact with the ground; “wheel base” means the distance measured horizontally and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle between two vertical planes at right angles to such axis passing through the two points specified hereunder– (a) the centre of the front axle, and (b) the centre of the rear axle; “wheeled” in relation to a motor vehicle or trailer means that the whole weight of the vehicle is transmitted to the road surface by means of wheels. (2) For the purpose of these Regulations any two wheels of a motor vehicle or trailer shall be regarded as one wheel if the distance between the centres of the areas of contact between such wheels and the road surface is less than 18"; (3) Other expressions have the same meaning as in the Act.