RoSPA Press Office : Press Release
June 26, 2001
NATIONAL COMMITTEE DEMANDS SAFER CAR FRONTS
Calls for European legislation to force the motor industry to design cars which are safer for pedestrians have been backed by RoSPA’s National Road Safety Committee.
Manufacturers want a voluntary agreement on the introduction of safer fronts on vehicles so that they do less damage to vulnerable road users in accidents.
But The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents fears that this will be too weak, and testing will not be as tough as proposed by some safety experts.
Its National Road Safety Committee says legislation is the best answer and could help to save 2,000 lives and 18,000 serious injuries a year across Europe.
The news comes as a safety watchdog group in Europe prepares to launch a new report on safe vehicle design today (Tuesday, June 26).
Kevin Clinton, RoSPA Head of Road Safety, said: “The only way we will accept a voluntary code is if it is at least as strong as the European Directive which has been proposed for a long time now.
“The European Commission is expected to reach a decision soon on whether to accept the motor industry’s voluntary proposals. But at RoSPA we cannot understand what they have to fear about legislation, which would ensure that cars do as little damage as possible when they hit pedestrians and cyclists. A voluntary agreement does not guarantee acceptance by all sections of the industry.”
The European Transport Safety Council says the need for safer car fronts is the most important current transport safety issue. It will increase its call for legislation when it publishes its report on priorities for motor vehicle safety design today.
In its road safety strategy announced last year, the UK Government said a directive on safer car fronts could ultimately reduce fatalities and serious injuries to pedestrians in Great Britain by up to 20 per cent. It expected the European Commission to bring forward a directive in early 2000 and said this would also be the best way of preventing “particularly dangerous” bull bars being fitted to vehicles.
Proposed legislation would include four interdependent crash tests developed through years of research in an attempt to save the lives of pedestrians and other vulnerable road users. There are fears that voluntary tests would be fewer and weaker.
