WRITTEN QUESTION E-2834/00

by Karla Peijs (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(8 September 2000)

Subject: Road safety for pedestrians and cyclists: directive designed to make cars safer

Every year more than 42 500 people are killed or injured on the roads of the European Union, including 9 300 pedestrians and cyclists.

In March the Commission announced six new priorities aimed at improving road safety. One of the priorities involves introducing a directive designed to make cars safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

On 27 June 2000 the Transport Council also called on the Commission to submit, as soon as possible, a proposal for legislation guaranteeing the safety of pedestrians and cyclists.

It is estimated that in the Netherlands alone 41 lives could be saved every year (and 2 175 in the EU as a whole) if the directive for a safe design of the fronts of cars enters into force.

Can the Commission say when this extremely important proposal will eventually be tabled?

Is the Commission aware that this directive will only be effective if all four proposed collision tests are applied simultaneously and are made obligatory in all EU Member States?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(9 October 2000)

As already indicated on other occasions, the Commission shares the views of the Parliament on the promotion of road safety in the Community and the concerns presented in the question from the Honourable Member. The adoption of measures to increase transport safety and reduce the number of accident victims is a primary objective of Commission policy.

The Commission firmly believes that improved road safety is the shared responsibility of everyone. The Community, the national, regional and local authorities of the Member States, the motor vehicle industry, and also road users themselves all have a role to play. The improvement of infrastructures, road users' and drivers' education, traffic codes and technical controls, as well as active and passive safety provisions on motor vehicles are among the most important measures to be taken.

As indicated by the Honourable Member, the Commission in its Communication(1) of 17 March 2000 entitled Priorities in EU road safety progress report and ranking of actions, identified safer car fronts for pedestrians and cyclists as one of its short to medium term road safety priorities.

The question of designing cars to reduce injuries in case of accidents at low speed with pedestrians is technically complicated. It is a new approach which has not been tried anywhere in the world. Much work has been done regarding the development of a performance standard by European institutions that specialise in passive safety of vehicles. Europe is in the forefront in this field. The measures taken have to be based on well-established scientific evaluation processes. This work takes time and is not yet finished.

The Commission is willing to continue the full consultation of all interested parties and to inform the Parliament of the progress of these discussions in the autumn. It will not compromise with the aim of reducing injuries, but it is necessary to find the best technical solution reflecting the state of the art of current knowledge.

(1) COM(2000) 125 final.