The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) has welcomed a call by the 28 EU ministers of transport for a long term target to cut serious injuries on European roads by 2030.
In a declaration signed yesterday (29 March) in the Maltese capital Valletta, transport ministers recommitted to an existing EU target to halve roads deaths by 2020 and also promised long term targets for reducing deaths and, for the first time, serious injuries by half by 2030.
The new commitment to targets comes just a day after publication of the latest EC road casualty statistics which show a 2% year-on-year fall in the number of fatalities across the EU during 2016.
Antonio Avenoso, executive director, said the ETSC, said: “We warmly welcome today’s call from transport ministers for long-term strategic targets to reduce deaths and, for the first time, serious injuries on EU roads. But in the short term, urgent action is needed.
“Minimum EU vehicle safety standards have not been updated since 2009 despite rapid advances in new technology that can help drivers avoid collisions.
“Plans to update vehicle safety standards were postponed again last month until March 2018. Every day of delay will lead to more unnecessary deaths and serious injuries on our roads. If the EU and member states are serious about putting an end to the 500 deaths on European roads every week, they must act now.”
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