[autom.vertaling] De vraag van de Commissie naar betere handhaving van verkeersveiligheidsregels (en)

The European Commission proposed today a package of measures aiming at improving road safety through a better enforcement of road safety rules. The package includes a proposal to update and enhance existing common rules for standard checking procedures in the professional road transport sector as well as a recommendation to Member States on enforcement of road safety measures. Best practise experiences show that if traffic rules were thoroughly checked and sanctioned, more than 14 000 lives could be saved and 680 000 injuries avoided on European roads each year. This would go a long way towards achieving the Union's objective of halving the number of road deaths by 2010. Proper enforcement of traffic rules combining checks of compliance and appropriate sanctions for violations, especially when combined with publicity campaigns on such enforcement actions, is therefore key to the prevention and reduction of road accidents. "We know why 40,000 lives are lost on European roads each year", said Vice-President in charge of Transport and Energy, Loyola de Palacio, "The main causes are speeding, drink-driving and non-use of seat belts. Legislation to crack down on this is already in place throughout the Union. However huge differences exist in the way these rules are being respected. National figures suggest that enforcement is one of the keys to enhanced road safety. Enforcement is also, as far as professional transport is concerned, a precondition to fair competition amongst our operators. This is why we are proposing a package of measures aimed at achieving significant progress in enforcing basic road transport rules."

The Commission proposed today two texts aimed at reinforcing enforcement.

A new Directive to ensure fair competition, improved road safety and safeguarding working conditions for professional drivers.

Only if the current social rules are enforced can there be fair competition within the professional road transport sector. Road safety will be enhanced as less tired drivers will be on our roads, and the drivers themselves will consider that their right to adequate rest is assured. To this effect the Commission proposed today to revise a 1988⁽¹⁾ Directive setting out standard checking procedures for EU social legislation for bus and lorry drivers.

The proposed revision aims at:

• raising the quantity of checks carried out at the roadside and on the premises of road transport operators from 1% of days worked to 3% of days worked;

• within this number of checks, devoting a greater minimum percentage (50%) to checks on the premises, the most effective and thorough means of detecting offences and hence deter any cowboys from abusing the rules;

• improving the quality of enforcement operations by stipulating that there should be a lead coordinating enforcement body within each Member State to be responsible for developing and implementing a national enforcement strategy as well as liaising with other designated bodies in other Member States;

• introducing basic requirements for the training and equipment of enforcement staff;

• ensuring that Member States take into account in their current and future road infrastructure plans, the need for sufficient lay-bys or service stations to allow areas for drivers to rest as well as for carrying out checks;

• encouraging cooperation between enforcement authorities both within a Member State and between Member States to promote best practice and to assist each other in pursuing those operators who do not abide by the rules.

Recommendation on enforcement in the field of road safety

The Commission also decided today to recommend to Member States to apply in a national enforcement plan what is known to be best enforcement practices of enforcement measures. They should evaluate results at regular intervals and adapt plans if necessary. Measures to be included are the following:

• for speeding: the use of automated speed enforcement systems (automated cameras), followed up by procedures able to cope with a large number of violations;

• for drunk driving: the application of random breath testing with alcohol screening devices (showing whether the driver had consumed alcohol) and the use of evidential breath test devices (showing if the alcohol limit was exceeded);

• for seat belt use: intensive enforcement actions of a certain duration taking place several times a year;

• these actions should be combined with publicity to make the public aware of them and of the reasons why they are being held, as it has been proved to reinforce their effectiveness.

The Commission recommends putting in place a mechanism for cross-border enforcement. It is currently often difficult or impossible to execute sanctions in another Member State than the country where the car is registered. To remedy this at least for serious and repeated violations, the enforcement co-ordination point in every Member State will pass information on these violations on to the authority entitled to taking the necessary sanctions.

The Commission commits itself to propose measures of a more binding nature at a later stage to achieve the objective of reducing the annual number of road deaths in the EU by 50% in the year 2010, should data submitted by Member States show that measures taken so far prove insufficient to achieve this objective. To enable the Commission to monitor progress, Member States will report to the Commission on the enforcement measures and information actions which they have carried out.

^{(1)Directive 88/599/EEC}