TISPOL Bulletin

Mandatory speed limiters to be fitted to all new cars in Europe within three years

TISPOL has welcomed the decision in the European Parliament that all new cars will be fitted with speed limiters. The move is part of a series of measures backed by MEPs  to make a variety of safety systems compulsory. The intelligent speed assistance (ISA) systems will use road sign recognition or GPS data to determine local speed limits and limit a vehicle’s speed to within that.

The mandatory fitting of ISA was approved by MEPs following proposals by our colleagues at the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), which we supported.  ETSC says that making speed limiters mandatory will reduce traffic collisions by 30 per cent and could save 25,000 lives within 15 years of being introduced.

Under the proposal, all new cars sold from 2022 will be required to have ISA.

 

Deadly bus crash in North Macedonia sparks days of mourning

Jut a day after our last Bulletin, we heard from Igor Mitrevski in Macedonia that a bus collision near the capital Skopje resulted in 15 fatalities.

Rescuers pronounced seven people dead at the scene and the rest died after they were transported to a hospital. At least four people had life-threatening injuries.

The bus overturned after plunging 10 metres (30 feet) down the ravine near a highway between the capital Skopje and the town of Tetovo.

Investigators were questioning the bus driver about what caused the crash, a spokesman for the interior ministry said.

The vehicle was carrying some 50 workers from Skopje to the town of Gostivar where all of them lived, Mayor Arben Taravari said.

"There are no words that can console for the severe traffic accident that was fatal for many of our fellow citizens," Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said, adding that the country would observe two days of mourning.

Mr Mitrevski told us:  "All we can say is that we are following TISPOL activities in the field of road traffic fatality reduction in Europe. And we hope that together we can reduce road traffic victims."

TISPOL sends its sincere condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.

 

Truck and bus enforcement operation
19 to 25 February

Thank you for sharing your pictures from the recent week-long truck and bus enforcement operation. We have assembled a selection in the above video. Do take a look!

Police in Hungary foil the efforts of truck driver who attempted to avoid
paying tolls...

During the Truck and Bus operation, police officers in Hungary stopped a truck driver who hid his numberplate when driving through toll gates - to avoid paying. He was caught thanks to a joint operation between police and the National Tax and Custom Administration.

We posted the above video two days ago on Twitter on Sunday 3 March. By first thing this morning it had been viewed more than 2,100 times, 'liked' 52 times and retweeted 20 times.

 

Germany: Drugs Commissioner calls for a 'no drink, no drugs' regime for all drivers

The drug commissioner in the German Bundestag, Marlene Mortler, has called for drivers to avoid alcohol or other drugs completely before taking the wheel. Her remarks come as drug-related road collisions surge in Germany. 

The number of traffic crashes caused by illegal drug consumption in Germany rose by nearly 42 percent between 2007 and 2017, with the drug commissioner of the Bundestag calling for drivers to abstain not only from alcohol, but also cannabis before taking the wheel.

"People driving should simply not consume alcohol and cannabis, because not only their lives are put at risk, but the life and limbs of other road users as well," she told reporters recently.

 

Dutch Traffic Safety Association starts training Uber drivers

The Netherlands' safe traffic association VVN has started giving Amsterdam Uber drivers traffic safety training. This training is mandatory for all Uber drivers and under 25 in the Dutch capital, and it forms part of a series of measures taken to improve road safety after four people were killed in traffic accidents involving an Uber driver in the city in six weeks.

The training comes on top of the existing taxi licence and will focus on risk assessment on the road and social driving behaviour. Other measures include raising the minimum age for new Uber drivers from 18 to 21 years, and a new requirement that Uber drivers must have at least one year of driving experience. 

 

Ireland: four out of five child car seats are fitted wrongly, says RSA

Four out of five child car seats in Ireland are incorrectly fitted, according to the Road Safety Authority. The organisation says that out of more than 35,000 child car seats checked 79% required a major adjustment.

The RSA has been running a 'Check it Fits' installation service across the country in recent weeks.

 

Sweden: level crossing safety improvement plans brought forward

THE Swedish government is planning to bring forward funding for level crossing safety enhancements following a spate of fatal collisions.  The country's National Plan for the Transport System to 2029 includes SKr 3bn  for improvements at level crossings, which is phased across the duration of the plan. However, the government is now looking to front-load investment with the aim of reducing the risks posed to road and rail users. 

Transport minister Mr Tomas Eneroth has instructed infrastructure manager Trafikverket to submit an action plan by May 31. Trafikverket will consult with train operators and other stakeholders to develop its proposals.