WRITTEN QUESTION E-2734/01

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(5 October 2001)

Subject: Delay in introducing requirement to eliminate the blind spot in truck drivers' field of vision

1. Is the Commission aware that, particularly in densely populated areas where there are many cyclists and pedestrians, numerous accidents occur because, when taking bends, a blind spot in the field of vision of their exterior mirrors makes truck drivers insufficiently able to see whether they are running over nearby people and objects?

2. Is the Commission aware that convex exterior mirrors are now available which enable truck drivers to see those parts of their surroundings which were previously invisible to them?

3. Can the Commission confirm that a quarter of all trucks have now been fitted with such mirrors on a voluntary basis but that it seems unlikely that the remainder will be fitted with them voluntarily?

4. Are national authorities being prevented by EU rules from making it compulsory to fit trucks with such mirrors in the near future?

5. If the answer to (4) is negative, which Member States are failing to exercise their right as national authorities to make the fitting of such mirrors compulsory?

6. If the answer to (4) is affirmative, how will the Commission help to ensure that the new mirrors become compulsory as soon as possible by immediately creating scope for the introduction of national rules or by facilitating the prompt introduction of European rules?

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(26 November 2001)

A number of accidents happen when vehicle drivers fail to detect pedestrians and other road users in one of the blind spots, which exist in the area immediately around their vehicles. In the case of larger vehicles, especially trucks, these accidents frequently lead to serious injuries or even fatalities.

The Commission is aware of this problem and is discussing with Member States, industry and other interested parties the possibilities to reduce the risk by requiring the installation of rear-view mirrors with specific arrangements to reduce the blind-spots around vehicles.

Following general agreement in its Motor Vehicle Working Group the Commission has therefore established an expert ad-hoc group to modify the said directive. In three meetings in May, July and September 2001 the group prepared a document, which proposes significant improvements to the existing situation taking into account the technical development since the last amendment(1) of Council Directive 71/127/EEC of 1 March 1971 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the rear-view mirrors of motor vehicles(2).

The following modifications are foreseen:

- the directive becomes mandatory for all kind of vehicles instead of being voluntary within the type-approval system for light and heavy duty commercial vehicles;

- additional mirrors shall be mounted to certain vehicles (front mirrors on trucks, exterior rear view mirrors on the passenger's side of passenger cars) in order to increase the field of indirect view;

- certain characteristics of mirrors (e.g. curvature of the surface) are modified according to technical progress in order to increase the field of indirect view;

- certain mirrors can be replaced by other systems for indirect view like camera/monitor systems.

- although the structure of the original Directive 71/127 EEC has been maintained as much as possible the content of this directive has been altered significantly. Therefore it is proposed to repeal Directive 71/127/EEC and its amendments and replace it by the new directive.

The Commission has prepared a final draft which has been sent to the Commission's Motor Vehicle Working Group for discussion with Member States and industry. Following this a revised version was prepared taking into account some comments but not changing the main elements of the original proposal as discussed within the ad-hoc group. On 23 October 2001 the necessary consultation within the Commission services was launched with a deadline of 14 November. Thereafter the proposal will be amended, if necessary, and the procedure for the adoption as a Commission Proposal will commence. Immediately after its adoption (foreseen for the end of November/beginning December) the text will be transmitted to the European Parliament and the Council. The Commission expects support for this draft since the reduction of blind spot areas around vehicles has been announced a priority issue for many Member States.

Unlike the arrangements for passenger cars of category M1, a compulsory system of Community whole vehicle type-approval (WVTA) has not been introduced for the type-approval of commercial vehicles of category N1.

National type-approvals are therefore generally granted on the basis of a variable mix of national and Community prescriptions. The manufacturer is free to decide on which particular set of legislative prescriptions (national or Community) a request for component type-approval should be based.

Member States are not therefore prevented from introducing national legislation which enables commercial vehicles to be fitted with such mirrors.

The Commission has no statistical data about vehicles registered within the Community which are already equipped with parts complying with the proposed measures nor has it data at its disposal about the kind of legislation (national or Community) used for component type-approval.

(1) OJ L 147, 14.6.1988.

(2) OJ L 68, 22.3.1971.