WRITTEN QUESTION E-2462/00

by Erik Meijer (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(24 July 2000)

Subject: Cutting the number of deaths on the roads through rapid action making it compulsory to improve the safety of the front of cars

1. Is the Commission aware that the development and rapid spread of private cars has a far-reaching impact on the safety of more vulnerable road users, in particular cyclists and pedestrians, of whom 9 300 are killed every year in the Member States of the European Union and many more are injured?

2. Can the Commission confirm that it is expected that making the fronts of cars safer can prevent 2 000 deaths per annum and 19 000 personal injuries?

3. Can the Commission also confirm that the member of the Commission responsible for industrial policy promised to submit, in Spring 2000, a new draft proposal for protecting pedestrians by making the fronts of cars safer and that on 27 June the Council asked the Commission, as a matter of urgency, to produce a legislative proposal on these lines as soon as possible?

4. In view of the delays which have now occurred in preparing this document, can the Commission indicate when the proposed text will be considered by Parliament, and is the Commission prepared to choose the earliest possible date for this to prevent people being the unnecessary victims of delay?

Joint answer to Written Questions P-2131/00, P-2133/00, P-2155/00, P-2156/00, P-2157/00, P-2158/00, E-2239/00, E-2385/00, E-2410/00, E-2462/00, P-2482/00, P-2493/00, P-2503/00, P-2579/00, P-2583/00, E-2610/00 and P-2760/00 given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(8 September 2000)

The Commission shares the views of the Parliament on the promotion of road safety in the Community and the concerns presented in a series of questions from Honourable Members. The adoption of measures to increase transport safety and reduce the number of victims is a primary objective of Commission policy.

The Commission is convinced that improved road safety is the shared responsibility of everyone, that is to say, the Community, the national, regional and local authorities of the Member States, the motor vehicle industry, and also road users themselves. The measures to be taken include 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.

As indicated by some Honourable Members, 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 by means of type approval and possible in-use legislation as one of its short to medium term road safety priorities.

The Commission is well aware of the risks for pedestrians and cyclists in road accidents. The subject of pedestrian protection has been in intensive discussion in the last months with the interested parties. All concerned, including vehicle manufacturers, have been consulted and have had the occasion to present their proposals on the best way to approach this issue. These discussions have also been tackling aspects of technical requirements for safer front design in the case of a collision.

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 academic 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. During the discussions the manufacturers have presented a draft commitment concerning the technical requirements.

As a number of technical issues are unresolved, the Commission has asked its Joint research centre to contribute to the evaluations. The Commission is willing to continue the full consultation of all interested parties and to inform the Parliament of the progress of these discussions early in 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.