New cars on old roads prove deadly for Eastern Europe by Stephen Castle
The European Commission will publish a road safety report this week which highlights the problems of the EU's former Communist members. Ministers will discuss the findings next month and the EU transport Commissioner, Jacques Barrot, is considering plans to boost car safety technology and road infrastructure, and to ensure that countries enforce penalties for driving offences imposed by other EU nations. The Commission document shows that France has cut road deaths by nearly one third since 2001 and that the UK has one of the best records, despite an alarming jump of 15 per cent in motorcycle deaths. Eastern Europe's dilapidated road network is being invaded by thousands of large, fast, cars leading to an spate of fatal accidents. Speeding, drink-driving and a failure to use seatbelts and child seats are being blamed for the huge human toll in Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. Roads accustomed to Soviet era cars are proving death traps for an affluent class of East European motorist. The countries that now make up the EU suffered 50,000 road deaths in 2001, and have set a target of reducing that by 50 per cent by the end of the decade.
EU initiatives to cut the figures include safety, including legislation on the rest periods for commercial drivers, research and subsidies for improving infrastructure.
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