Section 1: In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires –

“Authority” means the Road Transport Authority established by the Road Transport Authority Act, 1996; “carriage of goods” includes haulage of goods; “class” includes description; “commercial vehicle” means a public service vehicle, a goods and passenger vehicle, a goods vehicle and a breakdown lorry; “cycle” means a bicycle, motor cycle, tricycle, or a cycle having four or more wheels not being in any case a motor vehicle; “cycle track” means track over which the public has a right of way in respect of cycles only; “dealer” includes a person who stocks or exposes motor vehicles for sale, and a person who carries on business as a tester or repairer of motor vehicles; “disease” includes any disability; “driver” means any person who drives any vehicle or guides draught, pack or saddle animals or herds or flocks on a road or who is in active or physical control of the same; “footpath” means a way over which the public has a right of way on foot or pedestrian walkway; “invalids carriage” means a motor vehicle the weight of which unladen does not exceed 254 kilograms which is specially designed and constructed, and adapted for the use solely of a person with a physical disability; “Licensing Authority” means the Road Transport Authority established by the Road Transport Authority Act, 1996 or any other person or organisation appointed under that Act as Licensing Authority; “Minister” means the Minister responsible for transport; “motorcycle” means a mechanically propelled vehicle, not being an invalids carriage, with less than four wheels and the weight of which unladen does not exceed 410 kilograms; “motor vehicle” means a mechanically propelled vehicle intended or adapted for use on roads; “owner” means in relation to a motor vehicle, the person by whom the motor vehicle is kept and used and in the case of a motor vehicle which is the subject of an agreement for hire, hire purchase or loan, the person in possession of the motor vehicle under that agreement; “plated particulars” means the particulars that are required to be marked on a cargo vehicle in pursuance of regulations under this Act; “to park” means to stop a vehicle and to leave that vehicle stationary (whether the driver remains with or on it or not) on a road or other public place for period longer than is reasonably necessary to comply with a traffic direction or to take up and set down a passenger or goods; and cognate words shall be construed accordingly; “public service vehicle” means any motor vehicle used for carrying passengers for hire or reward, whether at separate and distinct fares for their respective places or not, but does not include a goods and passenger vehicle; “road” includes a street, highway and any other road or place to which the public has access by vehicle or cycle and the bridges over which a road passes; Interpretation. Act No. 4 of 1996. “spot fine” means a fine payable at the place where the offence was committed or at the nearest office of the Authority; “traffic sign” means any object or device (whether fixed or portable) for conveying to traffic on roads, or any specified description of traffic warnings, information, requirements, restrictions, or prohibition of any description approved by the Minister and erected, placed or maintained in accordance with section 128, and any line or mark on a highway for so conveying such warnings, information, requirements, restrictions or prohibitions; “trailer” means a vehicle drawn or intended to be drawn by any motor vehicle but does not include a side-car attached to a motor-cycle; “vehicle” includes any motor vehicle, trailer or semitrailer, tractor, wagon, carriage, cart, van, lorry, handcart, truck, barrow and cycle or tricycle and all other machines for the carriage of goods or persons or both; “weights” means the weights that are required to be marked on motor vehicles. PART II – REGISTRATION AND LICENSING OF MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAILERS