The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) has launched a new social media campaign to support the introduction of future EU vehicle safety standards.

In May this year, the European Commission announced a significant proposal to upgrade mandatory vehicle safety standards for all new cars, vans, lorries and buses sold in the EU. 

The Competitiveness Council (EU Ministers of Industry) is expected to give its view on the new proposals at its next meeting on 29-30 November. This will be followed by a vote shortly after in the transport committee of the European Parliament and, early next year, in the internal market committee (IMCO) of the European Parliament.

ETSC says that, if implemented, the combination of new standards and technologies could save 25,000 lives in the EU between 2022 and 2037.

“By fitting the latest safety technologies as standard on new vehicles in Europe, we have the potential to dramatically reduce death and injury on European roads.  It’s an opportunity EU Member States and the European Parliament must take.  Crucially, this package includes several complementary technologies that share components such as forward-facing cameras.  Cherry-picking or delaying individual safety features, or deprioritising essential crash protection measures that can save your life in the event of a collision, would cost more in the long run, a cost counted in euros, but also in lives lost,” said Antonio Avenoso, executive director of ETSC.

In particular, the campaign emphasises the importance of safer car and lorry fronts and the life-saving potential of advanced driver assistance technologies such as Automated Emergency Braking and Intelligent Speed Assistance.

In its new campaign, with the slogan “Last Night the EU Saved My Life”, ETSC is asking EU policymakers, national governments, campaigners and the public to join its call to support the entire package of vehicle safety measures proposed by the European Commission. 

The ETSC campaign will coincide with a high-level event on road safety in Vienna, organised by ETSC and the 2018 Austrian Presidency of the European Union.

Picture caption: Karima Delli, chair of the Transport Committee (TRAN), European Parliament

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