NHTSA Letter of Interpretation: FMVSS Interpretation

Topics:  Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards

From: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
To: Blue Bird Body Company
November 27, 1967

DATE: 11/27/67

FROM: AUTHOR UNAVAILABLE; Andrew K. Ness; NHTSA

TO: Blue Bird Body Company

TITLE: FMVSS INTERPRETATION

TEXT: This is in response to your letter of November 10, 1967, in which you requested a clarification of the use of the term "combined optically" as used in Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 188, Sections S8.3(c) and S3.4.4.3.

S3.3(c) Lamp Combinations and Equipment Combinations. Two or more lamps, reflective devices, and items of associated equipment may be combined if the requirements for each lamp, reflective device, and item of associated equipment are Met, except that --

(c) No clearance lamp may be combined optically with any taillamp or identification lamp.

This means that no clearance lamp may be combined to use a lense that is common to any other lamp such as a taillamp or identification lamp. The clearance lamp shall have a unique lense.

S3.4.4.3 Stoplamps that are combined optically with turn signal lamps need not be operable when the combination is in use as a turn signal or as a vehicular hazard warning signal.

This means that stoplamps that have a lense that is common with the turn signal lamps do not have to be operable when the combined stoplamp and turn signal lamp is used primarily as a turn signal or as a hazard warning signal. Stoplamps need not be operable when the combined stoplamp and turn signal lamp unit is used as a hazard warning or turn signal indicator.

We trust these comments will be of assistance in clarifying your problems.