European car firms may be forced to re-design their cars following a European Commission proposal to cut the number of pedestrian deaths across Europe. The new directive would aim to reduce the number of death and injuries to pedestrians caused by moving vehicles by 50 per cent by 2010. David Roe reports.
In the draft document published last week, the Commission said that, while the scope to reduce the number of fatalities in accidents where a pedestrian was hit by a vehicle moving at more than 40km/h was limited, alterations to the design of car fronts would "reduce significantly" the impact in accidents below that speed.
According to the commission, about 8,000 pedestrians and cyclists are killed and 300,000 injured in the EU each year in road accidents.
Over the past two years, the commission has successfully concluded negotiations with the associations representing the European, American, Japanese and Korean automobile manufacturers and has obtained a commitment by the industry to support the directive. As a result, over 99 per cent of cars and small vans sold in Europe will be covered by the industry commitments.
Here the National Safety Council, which has yet to see the proposals, says that any measure designed to increase road safety should be encouraged.
"In the 10-year period from 1991 to 200,1 a total of 16,777 pedestrians were killed and injured on Irish roads," says Mr Pat Costello, chief executive of the National Safety Council. "Compared to the total number of road deaths each year pedestrians account for about one in every five deaths on our roads."
The directive proposes to introduce number of tests for light vehicles. In a first phase, starting in 2005, new types of vehicles must comply with two tests dealing with protection against head and leg injuries. In a second phase, starting in 2010, four tests of increased severity will be required for new types of vehicles, two for head and leg injuries respectively.
However, while the Commission is adamant that changes in the design of the front of cars will be introduced, the actual nature of those changes is not carved in stone.
Consequently, between now and July 1st, 2004, a feasibility study concerning the proposed technical test provisions will be carried out.
Furthermore, the motor vehicle associations have also undertaken to introduce additional active and passive safety measures which will come under the scope of the directive. They include:
Commitments to equip all new motor vehicles with anti-lock braking systems (ABS) from July 1st, 2004
The gradual introduction of information and communication technology (ICT) elements to improve active safety
Equipping motor vehicles with Daytime Running Lights (DRL) from October this year
Not installing rigid bull-bars on new motor vehicles
Concern over the use of bull-bars is such that the Commission has indicated that it intends to propose a separate directive containing a test procedure for bull-bars which would target not only the original equipment manufacturers, but also the independent after-market.
Euro NCAP, the independent car safety testing body, while declining to comment on the actual draft proposals, supports any design changes that increases pedestrian safety.
"Euro NCAP is not a campaigning organisation so we do not comment on proposals from the EC," Mr Keith Rodgers, secretary-general of Euro NCAP told Motors.
"We are very keen to save pedestrian lives by improved car design. So we use the best possible test methods available. In the opinion of our members the European Enhanced Safety Vehicle Committee (EEVC), has produced the best method and that is what we apply."
However, it is probable that Euro NCAP will weigh in behind the directive as the tests in the second phase (2010) come from the work of the EEVC, which the Commission has been supporting for a number of years.
Mr Erkki Liikanen, European Enterprise Commissioner, welcomed the commitment from the car manufacturers to follow the test-requirements. "I'm pleased that the automotive industry has already committed itself to meeting the safety requirements of the draft directive," he says. "I am confident that they will find suitable technical solutions to achieve these proposals."
Next year, "Safe Roads" is the theme for World Health Day on April 7th. The WHO has developed a five-year strategy to address road traffic injuries worldwide, and is currently preparing a report into road deaths that will be published to mark "Safe Roads" Day.
While the WHO cites poor road design and roadway environment as instrumental in many road deaths, with the introduction of the directive, EU pedestrians' chances of surviving an impact will be vastly improved, thus eliminating one of what the WHO has termed "crucial risk factors".