5 Road safety
| (27903)
13869/06
+ ADDs 1-2
COM(06) 570
| Draft Directive on the retrofitting of mirrors to heavy goods vehicles registered in the Community
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| Legal base | Article 71; co-decision; QMV
|
| Document originated | 5 October 2006
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| Deposited in Parliament | 16 October 2006
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| Department | Transport |
| Basis of consideration | EM of 16 November 2006
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| Previous Committee Report | None
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| To be discussed in Council | Possibly 11-12 December 2006
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important
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| Committee's decision | Not cleared; further information requested
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Background
5.1 Under Directives 2003/97/EC and 2005/97/EC new goods vehicles
over 7.5 tonnes and certain goods vehicles between 3.5 and 7.5
tonnes will have to be fitted, from January 2007, with an increased
number of mirrors in order to reduce blind spots, particularly
those in close proximity to high-sided vehicles, where the driver
often has an obstructed view of pedestrians, cyclists and other
vehicles. The provisions will apply to goods vehicles between
3.5 and 7.5 tonnes which have cabs of sufficient height to enable
close proximity mirrors to be fitted at least two metres from
the ground and still be visible to the driver.
The document
5.2 This draft Directive would require heavy goods vehicles to
be fitted retrospectively with enhanced devices, for example mirrors,
so as to reduce the number of fatal accidents involving vulnerable
road users. It would apply to all goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes
not covered by Directives 2003/97/EC and 2005/27/EC. The proposal:
- requires vehicles covered to be fitted with a wide angle mirror
and a close proximity mirror complying with Directive 2003/97/EC
on the passenger side — compliance is considered to be achieved
if the mirrors provide not less than 99% of the field of view
specified in that Directive;
- where it is impractical to fit mirrors conforming
to Directive 2003/97/EC, allows the use of indirect vision devices,
for example cameras, provided at least the same field of view
is covered;
- requires Member States to introduce initiatives
to raise awareness of dangers for road users arising from vehicle
blind spots; and
- does not apply to vehicles more than 10 years
old, to vehicles not able to mount a close proximity mirror and
a wide angle mirror more than two metres from the ground and visible
to the driver and to vehicles subject to national requirements
prior to entry into force of Directive 2003/97/EC and which are
fitted with devices such that the driver has a total field of
vision not less than 95% of that required by that legislation
for a close proximity mirror and a wide angle mirror.
5.3 The two addenda to the proposal provide, in full
and summary form, information about the impact assessment carried
out by the Commission to determine the costs and benefits of introducing
provisions for the retro-fitting of mirrors to heavy goods vehicles
and its consultation with interested parties. The impact assessment
concludes that there would be a benefit to cost ratio of about
3.5:1 on the basis that about 1,200 lives would be saved by 2020
across the EU and cost of fitting would be between €100 (£67)
and €150 (£100) per truck.
The Government's view
5.4 The Minister of State, Department for Transport
(Dr Stephen Ladyman) says that on Great Britain's roads over 3,200
people have been killed and 30,000 seriously injured annually
in recent years. Detailed analysis of relevant statistics for
2005 shows that:
- 38 vulnerable road users were
killed in Great Britain on being involved in a collision with
the side of a heavy goods vehicles; and
- 43 vulnerable road users were killed in Great
Britain in frontal impacts with goods vehicles above 7.5 tonnes
and of these five were killed as the vehicle moved off from rest.
The Minister comments that it is difficult to estimate
how many of these casualties result directly from the limitations
of current vehicle mirror systems. However, based on the following
assumptions:
- measures to address the blind
spots to the side of heavy goods vehicles are 25% effective; and
- measures to address the blind spot to the front
are 90% effective for those accidents involving vehicles moving
off (as the driver would be able to see the vulnerable road user
before moving off) and only 10% effective if the vehicle is in
motion (as the driver would not have time to react to avoid the
collision);
It is estimated that up to 17 lives could be saved
annually. The Minister adds that the statistics show that in 2005
four car occupants were killed in side swipe incidents involving
heavy goods vehicles changing lane on multi-lane roads. If the
measures to address the blind spots to the side of heavy goods
vehicles also have a similar effectiveness on side swipe accidents,
then an additional life could be saved annually in side swipe
incidents.
5.5 The Minister then tells us that the Government
takes the matter of visibility from large vehicles very seriously
and supports the objective of this proposal, as an important first
step. Nonetheless, it has suggested to the Council Working Party
on the proposal that:
- front mirrors be included,
at least for the largest of vehicles, to maximise potential casualty
reduction;
- lenses complying with the new requirements bear
identification marks to provide both a clear indicator to the
consumer when buying replacements and a simple enforcement mechanism;
and
- on subsidiarity grounds there should not be a
requirement as to how a Member State deploys its road safety publicity
budget.
5.6 The Minister adds that the Government is also
concerned that even with the new measures there will be a blind
spot below the front passenger side door. It has therefore approved
an on-road trial of low-cost stick-on fresnel lenses[10]
as a possible solution. It intends, if there is evidence of a
meaningful road safety benefit when the trial is concluded around
February 2007, to press the Commission to introduce appropriate
new measures.
5.7 On the financial implications of the proposal
the Minister says that in contrast to the Commission's estimated
benefit to cost ratio of 3.5:1 from the proposal, the Government's
current draft partial Regulatory Impact Assessment (which the
Minister attaches to his Explanatory Memorandum) estimates a figure
of 1.4:1 and that this ratio, whilst not comparing favourably
with the Commission's, is still positive. He adds that if the
proposal also included, as the Government is suggesting, front
mirrors systems the benefit cost ratio estimate is 1.8:1.
5.8 As for costs the Minister, whilst noting that
these would fall primarily on the road haulage industry, says
the Commission based its benefit to cost estimates on EU wide
costs in excess of €660 million (£444 million), including
€57 million (£38 million) for the UK. Whereas the Government's
present assessment estimates the cost for the UK to be €137
million (£92 million). But the Minister adds that the Commission
figures are costed on the basic mirror price only, whereas the
Government's include also installation costs per vehicle class
and the operating and maintenance cost.
5.9 Finally the Minister says the Government will
consult the key interested parties about their views of the Commission
proposal.
Conclusion
5.10 Road safety is clearly an important issue
and this draft Directive appears to have the potential to add
to the useful mechanisms for improving road safety. And we note
that the Government wishes to extend the effect of the proposal
beyond what the Commission suggests. But before considering the
matter further we wish to hear about:
- how the draft Directive
is developing in negotiation, particularly in relation to the
Government's wish for additional provisions;
- a resolution of the subsidiarity issue; and
- the outcome of the Government's consultations.
Meanwhile the document remains uncleared.
10 Fresnel lenses are flat lenses with a series of
concentric rings, typically used for example in overhead projectors.
The idea is to stick a lens on the inside of the off-side window
to give the driver a field of view around and beneath it.
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