Driving down the death-toll by 2010

It is too early to say whether or not we will actually succeed in reducing by 50% the number of road deaths in the European Union by 2010. But much has been done in recent years to meet this target, at least regarding EU legislation. There are three main controllable components that account for better or worse road safety: safety of vehicles, drivers’ behaviour and road infrastructure. Accordingly, policymakers focus on these three pillars. For example, there is already European harmonisation of rules concerning the use of rear-view mirrors, driving and resting times of professional drivers, the European driving licence, measures for the protection of children carried in cars and lorries and the protection of pedestrians and cyclists by special car design.

As regards road infrastructure safety, European legislation is currently limited to the tunnel directive (2004/54/EC) which aims to reduce accident risks by means of preventative measures and, if an accident occurs, to minimise the loss of life. The positive results can already be seen, but they remain far from satisfactory.

Since growth in the internal market means more transport of goods and passengers, and higher levels of cross-border road traffic, greater efforts should be taken to improve harmonisation of rules within the EU.
Infrastructure safety can be increased by regular safety audits, by road design that is adapted to weather and geological conditions (material of road bed, inclination of curves), by better traffic signalling, especially around construction sites and modern crash barriers that also protect motorcyclists.

I would also say that the planning of good quality – and safe – parking areas should be well considered when new roads are being designed. This is because truck drivers must be provided with appropriate rest facilities in order to comply with their resting time obligations. In turn, this is important because tired and overworked drivers are a serious risk factor in road traffic.

Even though some member states already apply good standards in road construction and modernisation, a common strategy is needed for all EU countries. This would also support new member states that still lack sufficient national regulation in this field.

In addition to the current rules for car safety, technical improvements could still be made, for example by the application of automatic engine-stop systems or all-round distance meters. Immobiliser systems that do not allow cars to start in the event of alcohol respiration can be used. Improved underride protection devices should become compulsory for big trucks – to make it harder for cars to become crushed underneath the body of the trucks during collisions.

Of course, what is necessary is a fundamentally changed basic approach to transport policy: transports of goods should in general be reduced by the development of regional economic activity where goods are closer to their final consumer. Or it should at least be shifted from roads to rail and ship. I would wish the same for passenger transport. But this would require political decisions that allow for lower consumer prices, universal accessibility and better quality instead of closing down regional railroad networks and cutbacks in public investment. So far there is not much political ambition for such a change of thinking, neither on the EU nor on the national level.

Each policy tool has the potential to help to reduce the number of fatalities in road traffic. The current proposal for a directive on road infrastructure safety is one important part of the European road safety action programme. Although it is obvious that different administrative levels are responsible for the implementation and application of such rules, a common and binding framework is indispensable. To feel safe wherever they drive in Europe is a right of EU citizens and others who travel through Europe.

In many consultations with different stakeholders, I have been assured that these views have broad support in society. It is my great hope that my colleagues in the European Parliament’s transport committee share this approach and will not reject the overall idea again.

German MEP Helmuth Markov is a member for the European United Left/Nordic Green Left group (GUE/NGL) of the Parliament’s committee on transport and tourism.

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Quelle:
European Voice http://www.europeanvoice.com/archive/article.asp?id=29792