Brussels, 04/05/2011 (Agence Europe) - Nine out of 10 Italians are in favour of vans being fitted with compulsory speed limiters, according to a survey, the results of which were published on Tuesday 3 May by Italian market research company Doxa. The findings of this survey, commissioned by three environmental organisations - Legambiente, Amici della Terra and Terra! - and backed by the European sustainable transport campaign association Transport & Environment (T&E), provide support for these groups' calls for speed limiters to be fitted compulsorily in light utility vehicles.
The survey was conducted on a representative sample of 1,000 people. It found that 89% of those interviewed support the introduction of compulsory speed limiters in vans. Half of those interviewed backed a 110 km/hour speed limit for these vehicles and one third would like an even lower speed limit of 90 km/hour.
Italy has, thus, become the second EU member state, after Germany, to broach this issue. Last year, according to a T&E press release, German magazine AutoBild published similar findings after a survey carried out in Germany. According to T&E Director Joe Dings, this shows that “people in two of the continent's most speed-loving countries overwhelmingly support the idea of mandatory speed limiters for vans”. “These devices would save lives, save CO2 and save on fuel bills”, he added.
T&E says that setting a speed limit of 100 km/hour, the current speed limit for lorries, would reduce CO2 emissions by 6-7% and increase road safety, with a reduction of up to 46% in the number of accidents involving vans. (A.By./transl.rt)