There is a law which generally states a driver must not be able to see a view screen whilst driving unless an exemption applies so why did I see on CAR CRASH TV last night that a LGV driver could see all 4 views from the cameras fitted to a lorry on a screen angled towards the driver 
I do not believe that is one of the exemptions but I could be wrong …
Is it any different to being able to see a screen when reversing though, as you still driving, whichever way you going?
I know dustbin lorries are fitted with multiple cameras in the loading area, for the safety of the loaders and that is usually a multi screen setup.
My cars reversing camera only activates when reverse gear is enabled. Dustbin lorries I believe fall under the exemption ROG mentions. It’s an interesting point.
On a practical perspective, I know of a tipper fleet a few miles away, that are fitted with 360 degree camera system, that stitch together the images from four high mounted cameras. This give a digital representation of everything around the vehicle, pedestrians, cyclists etc.
I would have thought the screen law thing would be more geared to entertainment, tvs and dvd’s etc? Most vocational drivers also have large screen SatNavs in clear view too now.
Just looked at this and you could argue that its allowed under section C.
Regulation 109 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 provides for the use of television sets or other monitors in motor vehicles
109(1) No person shall drive, or cause or permit to be driven, a motor vehicle on a road, if the driver is in such a position as to be able to see, whether directly or by reflection, a television receiving apparatus or other cinematographic apparatus used to display anything other than information:
(a) about the state of the vehicle or its equipment;
(b) about the location of the vehicle and the road on which it is located;
(c) to assist the driver to see the road adjacent to the vehicle; or
(d) to assist the driver to reach his destination.
TELEVISION RECEIVING APPARATUS
In this regulation means any cathode ray tubecarried on a vehicle and on which there can be displayed an image derived from a television broadcast, a recording or a camera or computer.
I also watched the same program that ROG watched last night and the guy with the extra cameras had still managed previously to sidesweep a car when pulling back into the nearside lane, all recorded on camera. 
There was another program about traffic in London a few months ago and several hauliers had fitted side facing cameras due to numerous incidents with cyclists, or to be more precise cyclist riding recklessly then trying to put the blame on the truck driver.
My own personal perspective is anything that helps prevents accidents, or stops the ‘smash for crash’ brigade, then I am truly all for it.
m1cks:
Just looked at this and you could argue that its allowed under section C.Regulation 109 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 provides for the use of television sets or other monitors in motor vehicles
109(1) No person shall drive, or cause or permit to be driven, a motor vehicle on a road, if the driver is in such a position as to be able to see, whether directly or by reflection, a television receiving apparatus or other cinematographic apparatus used to display anything other than information:
(a) about the state of the vehicle or its equipment;
(b) about the location of the vehicle and the road on which it is located;
(c) to assist the driver to see the road adjacent to the vehicle; or
(d) to assist the driver to reach his destination.TELEVISION RECEIVING APPARATUS
In this regulation means any cathode ray tubecarried on a vehicle and on which there can be displayed an image derived from a television broadcast, a recording or a camera or computer.
Thanks - you could well be correct in using (c) as the exemption 
- not sure it covers the rear view though …
Back in the 90s some buses where fitted with tvs that had short programs and adverts on, I was pulled over buy the police on a local route who insisted the curtains should be drawn ( bus didn’t have any curtains) so as most of the fleet at the time had tvs the manager went nuts, the plod was wrong but at the time the driver was not supposed to see the screen, which we couldn’t. This seems to have changed when the bendy buses came in as well as mirrors they had cctv mirror monitoring to assist the drivers.
Reversing cameras are compulsory on trucks on the transport for London thingy FORS . And iv had left hookers fitted with cameras on the mirror which show on a screen when you indicate but blank screen otherwise which I’m sure in time will be added to FORS trucks
chester1:
Reversing cameras are compulsory on trucks on the transport for London thingy FORS . And iv had left hookers fitted with cameras on the mirror which show on a screen when you indicate but blank screen otherwise which I’m sure in time will be added to FORS trucks
Reversing cams are legal for when actually reversing
I’ve got a rear facing camera that’s on all the time, not just when reversing. It’s very useful, even when going forwards. Is it illegal?
I would say that a rear facing cam comes under the same category as side mounted rear facing cameras as seen on that truck in the programme. It’s not used for watching the latest episode of neighbours etc, it’s for driver information.
Would be nice to have a clearer written law though.
I have a niggling feeling that there was a segment in a program about buses with cameras fitted in lieu of rear view mirrors where the driver had a screen fitted for view or it may have been projected as a heads up on the windscreen not sure
Our buses used to have monitors for the upper deck when they did away with periscopes. It would switch to the reversing camera when reverse was selected.
These are treated the same as mirrors see the quote below which is from the DVSA HGV inspection manual
“Indirect vision devices " means devices to observe the traffic area adjacent to the vehicle which cannot be observed by direct vision. These can be conventional mirrors, camera-monitors or other devices (but not a periscope) able to present information about the indirect field of vision to the driver.[/i]
The only issue will be the position of the screen again see below from the manual
Video monitors when fitted in the area at the top of the screen to give a view to the rear are acceptable provided they do not obstruct the swept area more than a rear view mirror would. Monitors fitted onto the dash must not encroach into the swept area by more than 40 mm.
rickshawtaxicab:
These are treated the same as mirrors see the quote below which is from the DVSA HGV inspection manual“Indirect vision devices " means devices to observe the traffic area adjacent to the vehicle which cannot be observed by direct vision. These can be conventional mirrors, camera-monitors or other devices (but not a periscope) able to present information about the indirect field of vision to the driver.[/i]
The only issue will be the position of the screen again see below from the manual
Video monitors when fitted in the area at the top of the screen to give a view to the rear are acceptable provided they do not obstruct the swept area more than a rear view mirror would. Monitors fitted onto the dash must not encroach into the swept area by more than 40 mm.
[/quote]
most monitors are fitted below top edge of dash so it’ll be a good o go then
Contraflow:
I’ve got a rear facing camera that’s on all the time, not just when reversing. It’s very useful, even when going forwards. Is it illegal?
From the laws I have read = yes it is illegal but I think if its a bin lorry it has an exemption for safety of the collectors
ROG:
Contraflow:
I’ve got a rear facing camera that’s on all the time, not just when reversing. It’s very useful, even when going forwards. Is it illegal?From the laws I have read = yes it is illegal but I think if its a bin lorry it has an exemption for safety of the collectors
Dunno Rog Years ago we had them on the beer lorry’s they were on all the time so would it not be a MOT fail ?
nick2008:
ROG:
Contraflow:
I’ve got a rear facing camera that’s on all the time, not just when reversing. It’s very useful, even when going forwards. Is it illegal?From the laws I have read = yes it is illegal but I think if its a bin lorry it has an exemption for safety of the collectors
Dunno Rog Years ago we had them on the beer lorry’s they were on all the time so would it not be a MOT fail ?
Dunno about MOT rules
I too have a permanently active rearward facing camera.
I wouldn’t be without it, it can make up for a distinct lack of talent sometimes.
You couldn’t see the screen from the road anyway. Besides I do not see the difference between that or one of those giant multimedia sat nav displays that are in the newest cars.