Roadside Enforcement Policy For ABS Warning Lamps

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) implemented changes to roadside enforcement policy in light of Logistics UK proposals that it should downgrade its response to situations where a yellow ABS warning lamp comes on during a vehicle journey.

ABS warning lamps illuminating during journeys

Construction and use regulations permit a vehicle to continue with a journey or be taken to a place of repair if the ABS warning lamp illuminates during the journey, at the start of which the system was functioning correctly.

Logistics UK negotiated strongly with the Department for Transport (DfT) and DVSA who agreed to downgrade enforcement sanction policy where there is evidence available to a DVSA examiner of a yellow ABS warning lamp coming on during a journey, in which case the action is to issue an inspection notice, rather than a prohibition. View Logistics UK’s briefing note on ABS malfunction indicator lamps on our Briefing Notes page. (members only)

Proving ABS lamp defects occurred en-route

The procedure now involves DVSA examiners seeking evidence from the driver that the defect occurred en-route. If drivers have evidence at the time of examination indicating that the defect occurred en-route, and that appropriate action has been taken and documented by the driver, then DVSA will downgrade to issuing an inspection notice under these circumstances.