Brussels, 10/03/2000 (Agence Europe) - The development of motor vehicle models and road infrastructures that limit bodily damage in case of an accident will remain, in the medium term, the main priorities of the European Commission in terms of road safety. In the longer-term the Commission will tackle the difficult dossiers of motor vehicle driving standards through, among others, the medical criteria for the granting of driving licences of the effects of medication on driving. This is what is written in the draft communication on the "priorities for road safety in the EU - progress of measures" that the Commission should soon adopt. It seems that the Commission's "Industry" services delayed the adoption of the documents to look deeper into the points concerning the automotive industry. With other controversial measures, the document classifies among the six "top priorities" of the EU the adoption of legislation imposing instruments that would restrict the speed of light commercial vehicles and a legislation on the definition of car fronts that are least dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists. According to the Commission's estimates, speed-limiting devices could save 50 to 200 lives a year. The modification of the front of cars would enable to save 650 to 2,200 lives per year, while some 9,000 pedestrians die on average each year in the EU following an impact with a vehicle.
The Commission is looking into a draft Directive on the shape of bonnets. Next Tuesday 14 March, the Commission civil servants must consult with the industry, the experts from the Member States and the NGOs. For the Director of road safety from the European Association of Automobile Manufacturers (EAAM), Jacques Provensal, one of the only ways to reduce the mortal risks in cases of impacts between cars and pedestrians is to raise the bonnet with regard to the hard parts from the engine. This enables the bonnet to crumple further and absorb the impact. "The problem is that this modification can be in contradiction with the European objectives to reduce CO2 emissions and other polluting gases," commented Jacques Provensal. In fact "the raising of the bonnet supposes the elevating of the cabin and so greater wind resistance and greater consumption… these results will also be looked into."
The four other "top" priorities defined in the draft communication (on the basis of a "Community added value") relate to: i) the continuation of work being carried out in the European programme for evaluating new car models ("EuroNCAP") that has already studied the effect of frontal and side impacts in cases of impacts on the passengers and pedestrians in seven categories of cars, ii) campaigns and legislation concerning the wearing of seat belts and the use of child retention systems, iii) recommendations to the Member States concerning the maximum level of alcohol permitted to drive. The draft communication feels that the Member States should be encouraged to make further checks on alcohol and organise more effective international co-operation against drink drivers. This is a simple recommendation and not a harmonisation at the European level, as was announced by the Transport Commissioner Loyola de Palacio. In the EU, only Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, and the United Kingdom still apply a limit above 0.5mg/ml. According to the report accidents due to alcohol could be reduced 10% with a harmonisation of the levels of alcohol permitted, iv) the definition of direction for the management of "black spots" where accidents are concentrated, and for the development of road infrastructures that reduce damage in case of accidents
In the medium term the draft communication proposes to tackle five other areas: i) the medical criteria to the granting of driving licences, ii) the criteria of driving tests, iii) day lights, iv) the effect of medication on driving (working group on "alcohol, medication and driving," reactivated at the end of 1997, should present a report by the summer), v) the treatment of accident victims. At the same time the propose to continue and improve the gathering of statistical data on accidents for the "Care" database and continue studies on the norms and telematics applicable to vehicles.
This document is part of the Community action programme in favour of road safety 1997-2001. Written on request from the European Parliament, it classifies the Community priorities according to the cost-benefit criteria. Within the programme defined in 1997 emphasis is placed on the human and economic costs of accidents so as to give the political authorities the numbered arguments to further act on the issue of road safety. The Commission indicates a cost of EUR 1 million per human life lost on the road.
Study of the situation, answers to certain reservations or criticisms
The document notes that deadly accidents tend to fall but 40,000 people still die on European roads each year. The report feels that the downward trend should "set the pace" in the coming years and the estimates of 32,000 deaths in 2005 and 27,000 in 2010 should unfortunately be exceeded in the absence of new measures.
Significant differences remain between the Member States: Portugal had 254 road deaths in 1997 per million inhabitants, followed by Greece (210 per million inhabitants) while at the other end of the scale the United Kingdom and Sweden recorded around 60 deaths per million inhabitants.
The draft communication notes that "a great deal has already been done in the strategic areas for the respect of road safety regulations, the public awareness campaigns for road safety and the collection and release of information on security." Nevertheless the problem remains that "as many national governments have noted, the measures that enable the reduction of the huge human distress hidden within the numbers, such as the strengthened checks for drink driving, improved management of speed and more responsible advertising campaigns, must still defend themselves against the misplaced accusations of depravations of personal freedoms."
The "social" reticence is, according to the conclusions of the draft communication, one of the main reasons for the slowness of progress in road safety. The explanation goes in the direction of the automotive manufacturers who believe that they have already made a significant contribution to the safety effort and that it is time to tackle the drivers themselves.
Due to this EUROPE believes that the Commission may adopt a draft Directive on the harmonisation of driving licences in Europe, an extremely sensitive political subject as it would involve the harmonisation: i) of the period of validity of the licence that are granted for life in some Member States (France, Belgium, Germany) or that have to be regularly renewed in others (United Kingdom, Netherlands and Sweden), ii) obligatory health tests in certain States such as Italy or Spain, iii) the categories of licences according to the type of vehicles.