Commission launches road safety promotion programme
The European Commission, on the initiative of Mr. Neil Kinnock, Commissioner responsible for transport, has launched a programme to promote road safety in the EU. The programme aims to reduce the high number of deaths and injuries on Europe's roads each year - some 45,000 were killed, and 1.6 million injured, in 1995. The programme will encourage governments and other decision-makers to take into account the economic and social costs of road accidents in the Union when examining possible investments and regulatory measures for road safety. Included in the programme are measures to develop computer tools such as speed governors or collision warning systems to allow drivers to respond better and more rapidly to dangerous situations. The programme will consist of three main parts: - Information: development of a European information system to monitor road safety developments; - Prevention: accident prevention measures, in particular relating to reducing drink-driving and driving times of commercial drivers; - Treatment and reduction of consequences of accidents: encouragement of wearing of seatbelts and helmets, and design of impact-reducing vehicle structures.