European Parliament calls for pan-European fitment of winter tyres

When the European Parliament adopted a report with recommendations on how to improve European road safety between 2011 and 2020 it supported a number of measures includes a Europe-wide obligation for winter tyre fitment on all vehicles.

According to trade bodies NTDA and the Automotive Aftermarket Federation, the report reiterates the commission’s view that there needs to be a coherent approach to road safety and it calls for road safety issues to be addressed in all relevant policy areas, such as education (e.g. driver training, or information regarding the role of tyres and their proper maintenance), health (eye tests) or environmental and social policy.

The Report also makes a number of eye-catching recommendations such as the creation of the position of EU Road Safety Coordinator, the halving by 2020 of the total number of road fatalities and the compulsory fitting of “alcolocks” to commercial passenger and goods transport vehicles or into the cars of people who have been convicted of drink driving offences.

In a list of 104 areas for actions, the Parliamentarians claim: 

• the swift adoption of specifications for Intelligent Transport Systems;

• a Europe-wide obligation for winter tyres for all vehicles;

• the focus on passive safety, e.g. through crash-management-systems;

• the introduction of integrated accident recorder systems;

• the fitting of commercial vehicles with special rear-view mirrors against blind spots and tiredness- and distraction warning devices; 

• specifications for tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS);

• the swift introduction of eCall.

Also interestingly for the automotive aftermarket in Europe, Member States are called upon to monitor imported motor vehicle and motorcycle accessories, components and spare parts “effectively and substantively” in order to ensure that they are suitable and meet stringent European consumer protection standards. 

The European Parliament also calls for a single European area for regular technical inspections of all motorised road vehicles and their safety-related electronic systems. The proposal calls for independent inspection bodies, certified to a common standard to issue a certificate of roadworthiness. The basis for the inspections would be a very stringent, uniform standard which would be recognised throughout Europe.

Here’s a link to full details of the resolution:

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//NONSGML+REPORT+A7-2011-0264+0+DOC+PDF+V0//EN&language=EN