Bull bar, for those unfamiliar with the term, is slang for a frontal protection system usually put onto large off-road vehicles and 4X4s. Bull bars serve to add a layer of armored protection to the front of a vehicle in the same way that cow-catchers do on trains, and are sometimes called cow pushers. However, there are a variety of laws all across Europe (where frontal protection systems are heavily legislated) regarding which types of bull bars may be used and which may not.
Certification
One of the key laws regarding bull bars in the European Union (EC Regulation No 78/2009 ) says that every frontal protection system must be reviewed and certified by the government, both on its own and also in combination with the types of vehicles that it's designed for. For instance, buying a large set of bull bars meant for an industrial truck and putting them on a pickup is illegal---not because the particular system itself is illegal, but because it's installed on the wrong type of vehicle. Certifications are issued for the systems by the government and stamped on the bull bars.
Materials
Modern bull bars are supposed to be made out of non-rigid materials, such as high quality plastics. The goal of these frontal protection systems is not to allow a driver to smash into something and keep going, but rather to provide a flexible shield that prevents damage to the vehicle and to the object the vehicle hits. More rigid bull bars may help protect a vehicle from damage when hitting an animal or another vehicle, but they also lead to increased injuries and fatalities among pedestrians hit by these vehicles. This is one reason that legislation regarding bull bars has tightened down in Europe.
Illegal Manufacture and Sale
In the United Kingdom (which has adopted the European Union's standards for bull bars), there is a very harsh penalty for manufacturers caught making and selling illegal varieties of bull bars. Since May 25, 2007, those caught manufacturing and selling illegal bull bars (those that are disqualified under the European Union's directive for pedestrian protection) face up to 12 months in prison and up to a 20,000 pound fine for their activities.
Tags: bull bars, frontal protection, bull bars, European Union, frontal protection system