Call for Manufacturer Modifications

If every manufacturer made modifications to new cars at an estimated cost of £75 per car, the lives of 1,700 pedestrians and cyclists could be saved across Europe, according to the RAC Foundation.

The announcement follows the launch of the latest Euro NCAP (The European New Car Assessment Programme). The European Commission has been told that 1,700 fatalities and 42,000 serious injuries to pedestrians and cyclists could be prevented each year if manufacturers produced cars that incorporated greater pedestrian protection. Legislation, forcing the changes to be made, is being phased in – and will not be fully in force until 2010 or beyond.

The changes called for include the repositioning and restructuring of the front bumper to absorb energy and reduce the chances of leg breakage, the ‘softening’ of the leading edge of the bonnet and less rigid reinforcement under the bonnet.