Summer motoring - keeping Europe's roads safer

There are many reasons for taking the car on holiday - practicality, fear of flying or the feeling of independence it gives. Sadly however, the holiday season regularly brings a spate of deaths on the roads. Last year 39,000 people were killed in road accidents, which continue to be the most frequent cause of death for children, adolescents and young adults in Europe. The official EU aim is to half the number of road deaths between 2001 and 2010.

The figures for last year - though tragic - show a fall of 28% compared to 2001 when the road safety campaign began. The countries that did best in improving road safety were France (down 48%), Portugal (down 47%) and Spain with a reduction of 44%.
 
A number of measures in recent years have also been taken with the aim of making Europe's roads safer:
 
Single European driving licences
 
As from 2013, all newly issued or replacement driving licenses will be in a single EU-wide credit card format. The new format will replace the more than 110 existing different models in the Member States. It will stop the practice of “driving licence tourism” where drivers banned in one EU country are free to drive in other countries. The legislation was approved by MEPs at the end of 2006. 
 
Better roads across Europe
 
Last year MEPs backed a directive promoting EU-wide standards on road infrastructure management. Currently, safety standards for roads and road design maintenance differ greatly between the Member States.
 
Under the new directive EU members must ensure that signs are in place to warn road users of repair work. It also covers safe parking areas, crash barriers, road safety impact assessments and safety inspections.
 
Better protection for pedestrians and cyclists
 
Parliament also decided to back plans to reduce the number of pedestrians and cyclists injured on Europe's roads by introducing tougher standards on the safety of motor vehicles, for example through compulsory introduction of brake-assist systems and frontal protection systems.
 
Each year 8,000 pedestrians and cyclists are killed and 300,000 injured across the EU. This new law will be applicable as from November 2009.
 
In order to enhance safety, the Parliament also endorsed a communication from the Commission on intelligent cars. The objective is to harness the latest technology to make cars safer and more efficient through devices such as the ESC (Electronic Stability Control).
 
End to immunity for driving offences abroad
 
Last year Parliament approved legislation to ensure that drivers will be identified and fined for offences they commit anywhere in the EU. Speeding, drink-driving, not wearing a seat belt and failing to stop at a red light should all be covered by the proposal. This new legislation should increase safety and put a stop to drivers avoiding to pay the penalty for an offence committed abroad.
 
In April Parliament backed plans for the implementation of “Intelligent Transport Systems” in the EU that aims at making transport safer and cleaner and to reduce traffic congestion. It includes electronic tolling systems on motorways, GPS and traffic supervision systems and warning systems such as the automatic “e-call” which alerts emergency services if the driver is unconscious after an accident.
 
Road Safety Charter
 
Getting society involved in road safety is also vital for achieving results. The Commission's European “Road Safety Charter” calls on civil society to sign up to help improve road safety for a minimum of 3 years. A commitment could mean organising road safety campaigns, providing driving courses for employees or pledging to improve infrastructure. More than 300 organisations have already subscribed.