Crash protection for pedestrians and cyclists
Crash protection for pedestrians and cyclists
The European Union is urging carmakers to produce models which offer greater safety to the most vulnerable road users. The report on the proposal from the inaptly named Liberal member Francesco Ferrari will have the support of the SP.
During the committee stage of the report, SP Euro-MP Erik Meijer, a transport specialist, said that the growth in the number of cars had had many unfortunate consequences. “The best protection would be to create more car-free spaces in towns and villages, and to improve public transport. But every little helps, and this report is a step in the right direction.”
Deaths and injuries
Every year around 8,000 of the most vulnerable road users – cyclists and pedestrians – meet their deaths as a result of traffic accidents, while another 300.000 are injured. Italian MEP Francesco Ferrari, a member of the Liberal Democrat group (ALDE), is demanding that new technologies for the protection of these road users, such as automatic braking systems, be more rapidly introduced.