Scots MEP calls for safer car fronts

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 23rd Jun 2008

Elspeth Attwooll MEP is backing new European Parliament proposals to make car-fronts safer to protect pedestrians and cyclists when on the road. The plans, forwarded by Italian Liberal MEP Francesco Ferrari in a report published last week, call for new braking technology to be made compulsory from 2009 and for more research to be devoted to developing new anti-collision systems for car-fronts.

The Liberal Democrat for Scotland said:

"Mr Ferrari's report looks at ways we can make car-fronts safer. One way is to "put on the brakes" by making new braking technology compulsory. The technology is developed and ready to go so there's no reason why it shouldn't be introduced as soon as possible. There are also plans for new anti-collision systems for cars, but the technology isn't quite there yet so we have to be a bit more cautious.

The Commission reckons these measures could save thousands of lives every year in the EU. And, by making our towns and cities more pedestrian and cycle-friendly, it's more likely people will become more environmentally-friendly themselves. Safer cities will mean more people leaving their cars at home and walking or cycling to work".

ENDS

Notes:

• The report estimates that 8,000 people are killed in road accidents across the EU each year, with a further 300,000 injured. See: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/public/story_page/062-31790-168-06-25-910-20080616STO31788-2008-16-06-2008/default_en.htm

• Scottish statistics, meanwhile, have previously shown that there were 2,851 pedestrian and 781 (pedal) cycle casualties in 2006. See: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2007/11/26100730