Must-Know

Your vehicle has a current Warrant of Fitness but a rear red stop light is not working. What should you do?

You can drive with it until your next WoF
You must fix it immediately
Only use the vehicle during daylight hours

In New Zealand, ensuring the safety of your vehicle is very important, which includes making sure all lighting functions are operating correctly. The rear red brake lights are a critical safety feature, alerting drivers behind you that your vehicle is slowing down or stopping. If the brake lights are not functioning, it may increase the risk of a traffic accident, especially in low-light conditions where drivers from behind may not notice that your vehicle is decelerating in time to react appropriately.

New Zealand road traffic regulations stipulate that all lighting equipment on a vehicle must be in good working order. This includes headlights, taillights, brake lights, turn signals, and other safety-related lighting devices. If you find that any lighting equipment on your vehicle is faulty, the law requires that you must repair it immediately to ensure your vehicle meets road safety standards. This is why, when your vehicle has a valid Warrant of Fitness (WoF) but the rear red brake lights are not working, the correct course of action is to choose "2. You must repair it immediately."