Brussels, 02/05/2007 (Agence Europe) - The last 12 months have seen an 8% reduction in the numbers of people killed on Europe's roads: 12,000 fewer lives were lost in 2006 compared with 2001. These are the latest figures presented by Commission Vice-President with responsibility for Transport Jacques Barrot on 27 April. Launching the first European Road Safety Day, which will be marked every year on the same date, Mr Barrot said that the EU was able to reach the target set in the 2001 road safety action plan and reduce the number of people killed annually on Europe's roads to 25,000 by 2010.
The “SafetyNet” report reveals that there are wide differences between the countries studied, particularly in relation to road deaths involving drivers over the legal drink drive limit. Levels vary between 4.8% in the Czech Republic, where the legal blood-alcohol level is zero, and 29.54% in Spain (where the legal limit is 0.5 mg/ml). Other countries where a high level of fatalities as a result of drink driving is recorded are France (28.8%, with a legal limit of 0.5 mg/ml), Portugal (27.8%) and Sweden (25% with a maximum legal limit of 0.2 mg/ml)
Another area where there are differences is in the wearing of seat belts. While the number of people wearing front-seat belts in cars and vans is quite high (ranging from 67% in Hungary to 97% in France), Germany, with 89%, has the highest number of passengers wearing rear-seat belts. The lowest number of rear-seat belt wearers is in Malta (28%). The report notes, too, that nearly 50% of European drivers break speed limits.
With regard to young drivers, to whom this first road safety day was dedicated, 27% of road deaths in the EU27 are from among the under-25s. The worst record is in Malta (38% of all road deaths), followed by Cyprus (37%) and the United Kingdom (36%). Lithuania (17%), Poland (18%), Hungary (19%) and Bulgaria (20%) are the best performers. Six other countries find themselves below the European average: Latvia (21%), Romania and the Czech Republic (22%), Luxembourg (23%) and Sweden and Italy (26%). (aby)