ABI: Crossing borders safely

ABI: Crossing borders safely

ABI: Crossing borders safely

Increased driving between countries is leading to more collisions throughout Europe, according to a report published today (14 November) by the Association of British Insurers.

The ABI, working with a coalition of motoring and road safety groups, has developed proposals to tackle the problem. These include better guidance for motorists on road laws in different countries, greater information sharing between countries to enable tighter enforcement, and a review of licensing standards throughout the European Union.

Key findings from European Drivers – Crossing Borders Safely show that:

– In the UK over 18,000 collisions a year are caused by drivers coming from continental Europe. European heavy goods vehicles are three times more likely to be involved in an accident than UK HGVs.
– Britons driving in continental Europe caused over 5,000 accidents in 2006.
– In Switzerland, cross-border drivers commit half of all traffic offences.
– In France, cross-border drivers are responsible for a quarter of all traffic offences in border areas, and 15% of accidents throughout the country.

Stephen Haddrill, the ABI’s Director General, said:

“Greater movement throughout Europe must not mean more dangerous roads. With 45 major differences in the road laws between Member States, it is hardly surprising that cross-border driving is leading to more collisions. Our proposals focus on better information sharing and law enforcement. We call on the UK Government and the European Commission to recognise the scale of the problem and build on the first steps they have taken to ensure that drivers can travel more safely throughout Europe.”

– ENDS –

Notes for Editors

1. Enquiries to:
Alan Leaman 020 7216 7440 (Mobile: 07957 482 330)
Malcolm Tarling 020 7216 7410 (Mobile: 07776 147 667)
Jonathan French 020 7216 7392 (Mobile: 07958 330 480)
Erfan Hussain 020 7216 7411 (Mobile: 07712 841 184)
Kelly Ostler 020 7216 7415 (Mobile: 07968 364 302)

2. Joining forces with the ABI is the Automobile Association, BRAKE, the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, RoadSafe and The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.

3. Key proposals to ensure that Europeans can drive safely within the Union are:

– The UK Government should establish an accurate and consistent measure of the numbers of foreign drivers in the UK.
– Information on UK road laws is made available to all motorists as they enter the UK, for example as vehicles disembark ferries.
– The European Commission should review the driver licensing and vehicle standard requirements across Member States and any relationship they may have to accident rates. If necessary, minimum European driving standards should be introduced.
– The UK Government and the European Commission should ensure that all Heavy Goods Vehicles are equipped to deal with ‘blind spots’ – the gap between what the driver can see in their mirrors and what they can see out of their back and side windows.
– A system should be adopted by the UK Government of identifying foreign vehicles kept in the UK for more than six months without being re- registered. Imported vehicles not re-registered may be unroadworthy and uninsured.

4. A full copy of the report will be available on www.abi.org.uk at 1000hrs, Wednesday 14 November 2007.

5. Some of the 45 differences in national road laws within the EU include:

– Rights of way. In the UK motorists using a roundabout have the right of way; in Greece it is the motorist joining the roundabout who has right of way. In the Netherlands, and Italy it depends on traffic signals.
– Motorway speed limits. There are wide variations, ranging from 112kph in the UK, 120kph in Belguim, 130kph in France to no speed limit on some German autobahns.
– Informal rules of the road. Drivers in different countries often use the same signal to mean different things. For example, in the UK flashing your lights means you are giving way, whereas in some Member States it means the opposite.

6. The ABI is the trade association for Britain’s insurance industry. Its nearly 400 member companies provide over 94% of the insurance business in the UK. It represents insurance companies to the Government, and to the regulatory and other agencies, and is an influential voice on public policy and financial services issues. ABI member companies hold up to a sixth of all investments traded on the London Stock Exchange, on behalf of millions of pensioners and savers.

7. An ISDN line is available for broadcasts.

Copies of all ABI news releases, together with other information from the Association, can be seen on our website http://www.abi.org.uk