Commission eyes daytime headlight laws

By Anna McLauchlin

Date: 18/11/04

SWITCHING on car headlights during the daytime could become obligatory in the EU under plans being discussed by the European Commission to cut the number of road accidents. A final study recommending various legislative options will be presented to the EU's high level advisory group on road safety on 16 December.

The study, commissioned in 2002, concludes that if all traffic turned on their lights during the day it would lead to a reduction in deaths of up to 3,000 every year, a cut of 7.5% in the 40,000 people who die annually on EU roads.

The study outlines five policy options ranging from simple laws on driving with headlights on to legislation forcing car manufacturers to install certain headlights in new cars.

The cheapest would be for cars to turn on dipped beams during the day, which the study estimates would lead to an increase of around 0.5-1.5% in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. The safest would be to ensure that all new cars have 'dedicated' headlamps - which have less glare and consume less energy - and to force other drivers to turn on dipped beams during the day.

Transport officials are responsible for driving legislation, while any decision on car manufacturing would be taken by the Commission's enterprise department.

Preview of a meeting of the EU's High Level Advisory Group on Road Safety on 16 December 2004, where plans are to be discussed to make it obligatory throughout the EU to switch on car headlights during the daytime. A final study to be presented at the meeting recommends various legislative options which could cut the number of road accidents.

European Commission: DG Energy and Transport: Transport: Key issues: Security and Safety (Road): High Level Group http://ec.europa.eu/comm/transport/road/roadsafety/hlg/index_en.htm

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