WRITTEN QUESTION E-3672/00 by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission. Introduction of blind-spot mirrors.
Date: 2000-11-27
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: common transport policy, safety device

22.5.2001

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 151 E/199

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(22 December 2000)

The Commission is not aware of the promotion of the (cid:145)European City Guide(cid:146) in Spain. It is not within the
Commission(cid:146)s competences to treat this question as only national law applies. Appropriate measures can
only be taken by the competent national authorities.

(2001/C 151 E/231)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3672/00

by Bart Staes (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(27 November 2000)

Subject: Introduction of blind-spot mirrors

In the Belgian Federation, fifteen people have already been killed on the roads this year because truck-
drivers failed to see them in the blind spot left by their wing-mirrors. According to the Belgian Road Safety
Institute, a truck-driver on average fails to see a road-user to the right of his vehicle in his wing-mirror five
times every day.

Yet there is a simple solution to the problem, the special blind-spot mirror. This is a small convex mirror
which is also used when taking dangerous hairpin bends. However, in order to make it compulsory to
instal these mirrors on vehicles (cid:129) notably trucks (cid:129) Directive 71/127/EEC (1) (last amended by Directive
88/321/EEC (2) of 16 May 1988) would have to be amended.

Will the Commission amend Directive 71/127/EEC (last amended by Directive 88/321/EEC of 16 May
1988) so as to make it compulsory for vehicles (cid:129) notably trucks (cid:129) to be fitted with blind-spot wing
mirrors? If not, why does the Commission not consider it necessary to introduce such mirrors in order to
reduce the number of deaths on the roads caused by this problem? In its opinion, what more effective
ways might there be of solving the problem of the blind spot in the field of vision of drivers?

(1) OJ L 68, 22.3.1971, p. 1.
(2) OJ L 147, 14.6.1988, p. 77.

Answer given by Mr Liikanen on behalf of the Commission

(16 January 2001)

The Commission is also concerned about the number of accidents caused by vehicle drivers who are not
aware that other road users are very close or already beside their own vehicle. These accidents are often
related to changes of direction at crossings or junctions when drivers fail to detect the other road users in
the blind spot of their rear-view mirror on the right side of the vehicle. When larger vehicles like trucks or
buses are involved, these accidents frequently lead to serious injuries or even fatalities to vulnerable road
users like cyclists.

The Commission will carefully examine the situation and discuss with Member States, industry and other
interested parties during the coming months the possibilities of reducing the risk by modifying 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, as last amended by Commission Directive 88/321/EEC of 16 May
1988 to include specific requirements for blind-spot mirrors.