Carmakers cruise ahead with plans to reduce risk of injury

Date: 17/01/02

NEARLY 9,000 pedestrians and cyclists are killed every year on Europe's roads after being hit by vehicles. A further 200,000 are injured.

In a bid to reduce the carnage, car manufacturers have pledged to introduce new safety measures under a voluntary deal with the Commission.

Under Phase 1

From 1 July 2005 all newly-designed and marketed cars must comply with 'passive' safety measures recommended by the Commission's Joint Research Centre. (Passive measures are design changes aimed at reducing injuries in the event of an accident.)

From 1 July 2010 the requirement will apply to 80 of all new vehicles, including models designed before that date. The threshold rises to 90 by 2011 and will apply to every new car by 2012.

All new cars must be fitted with day-time headlights from 2002 and anti-lock brakes from 2003.

Bull bars will be banned from 2002.

Industry will phase in 'active' safety design features such as smart sensor systems aimed at avoiding accidents in the first place by detecting danger and forcing the car to slow down.

Under Phase 2

From 2010 to 2014 industry

will phase in tougher safety features to meet standards set by the European Enhanced Safety Vehicle Committee (EEVC) or, in a move attacked by

safety campaigners, other 'equivalent' measures agreed by manufacturers.

The second phase will take effect only if a monitoring committee of Commission and industry experts agree it is feasible. They must decide this by

1 July 2004.

If industry fails to meet the terms of its voluntary deal, then the Commission has reserved the right to revert to legislation.

Would it work?

MEPs say it will not (see story above) and want compulsory legislation.

The European Transport Safety Council says a directive, enforcing design alterations, would cost on average less than €21 a car and could save 2,000 lives a year.

The independent UK Transport Research Laboratory says a voluntary deal would initially save 500 lives a year. This compares to 2,000 fewer annual fatalities if a binding directive was imposed forcing manufacturers to meet the EEVC standards.

Japanese car giant Honda is setting the pace in auto safety standards. Its Civic model already meets more than 70 of the Phase 2 EEVC tests at a cost of €10.50 a car.

Safety campaigners are worried about the word 'equivalent' in the second-phase commitments. They

fear this could lead to a watering

down of the high levels demanded by the EEVC.

They are also sceptical about the benefits of active safety devices. They fear some systems could actually breed accidents by encouraging drivers to take more risks.

In order to improve pedestrian safety on Europe's roads car makers have agreed on a voluntary deal with the European Commission which would see new safety measures being added to cars.