WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3240/97 by Carmen DÍEZ DE RIVERA ICAZA to the Commission. Traffic accidents
Date: 1997-10-20
Institutions: DIEZ DE RIVERA ICAZA, European Parliament
Subjects: Spain, accident prevention, cost analysis, mortality, road safety, road traffic, road transport, safety device, transport accident, transport statistics

C 158/70

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

25. 5. 98

(98/C 158/89)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3240/97

by Carmen D(cid:14)·ez de Rivera Icaza (PSE) to the Commission

(20 October 1997)

Subject: Traffic accidents

In  view  of  the  large  number  of  traffic  accidents  which  occurred  in  a  Member  State  this  summer,  can  the
Commission say:

1.  whether the number of traffic accidents in Spain is more than, less than or the same as in other Member

States;

2.  whether the financial cost of these accidents has already been estimated;

3.  what changes it recommends to reduce the number of accidents and road deaths?

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(2 December 1997)

In 1994, 6 248 people were killed in traffic accidents in Spain and 114 525 were injured. Based on the number
killed  by  million  inhabitants  over  the  period  1991-1994,  the  position  of  Spain  is  worse  than  the  European
average, and proportionately worse than that of nine other Member States. Clearly, it is difficult to make precise
comparisons between Member States as there are a number of factors, such as the quality of infrastructure, which
are not comparable. The figures given above are, however, a clear indication of the relative rate of deaths and
injuries.

The Commission has calculated that the direct cost of road accidents (including the cost of police and emergency
services, vehicle repairs, and lost economic output), is 45 000 MECU per year for the Community as a whole.
When divided by the total of 45 000 road fatalities in the Community per year, this gives a simple average of
1 MECU per death and associated injuries. In Spain, the (cid:145)1 MECU test(cid:146) would produce a cost for road deaths of
about 6 000 MECU per year.

The  Commission  has  adopted  a  communication  (cid:145)Promoting  road  safety  in  the  EU  ›  The  programme  for
1997-2001(cid:146) (1)  which  sets  out  in  detail  the  Commission(cid:146)s  plans  to  build  on  the  successes  of  the  first  action
programme  which  ran  from  1993-1996.  The  Commission(cid:146)s  actions  will  focus  on  three  areas:  information
gathering  and  dissemination  in  order  to  identify  and  to  monitor  the  situation  and  thereby  promote  focused
improvements; initiating and supporting measures to avoid accidents, with an emphasis on the human factor and
its interface with environmental features like road and junction design, traffic signals etc.; and initiating and
supporting measures to reduce the consequences of accidents when they occur -by means of achieving further
improvements  in  vehicle  design  and  crash  resilience,  for  example.  In  addition,  the  Commission  actively
advocates cost-free changes in behaviour which would save a large number of lives and reduce the seriousness of
injuries. If in all Member States, for instance, front and rear seat belt wearing was at the level of the countries in
which it is most usual, something like 6,000 lives would be saved every year.

(1)  COM(97) 131 final.

(98/C 158/90)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3252/97

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(20 October 1997)

Subject: Directive 94/80/EC

Having regard to the municipal elections to be held in Greece in about one year(cid:146)s time and in view of the fact that
the right to vote and stand as a candidate in municipal elections in the Member State of residence derives from
application of the principle of equality and non-discrimination between EU citizens, have the Greek authorities
brought  into  force  the  laws,  regulations  and  administrative  provisions  necessary  to  comply  with  Directive
94/80/EC (1). If not, what measures will the Commission take to ensure compliance by Greece with the above
directive?

(1)  OJ L 368, 31.12.1994, p. 38.