TISPOL supports ETSC call urging EU President to reinstate serious injury reduction targets

Thursday, 11-Jun-15 05:57:00

About this story

This is an archive news story from TISPOL.

TISPOL joins 11 MEPs, more than 50 experts and representatives of road safety organisations and victims' groups from across Europe to urge European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to reverse his decision to drop the new EU serious injury target.

The letter was sent ahead of Thursday’s meeting of national transport ministers in Luxembourg where the target was announced.  The European Transport Safety Council learnt that the announcement of the target has been dropped and no new date has been set for its publication.

The long-planned initiative had been reconfirmed in a Commission press release as recently as 24 March, and has already been strongly supported by member states and the European Parliament.

According to ETSC analysis at least 200,000 people suffered life-changing consequences resulting from traffic collisions last year alone, an increase of 3% from the previous year. Furthermore, over recent years, declines in serious road injuries have not matched the reductions in road deaths.

TISPOL General Secretary Ruth Purdie said: "All over Europe there are organisations and people dedicated to reducing death and serious injury on the roads. It is therefore vital that the EU continues its central, strategic role at the heart of this most important issue, and reconsiders its decision to step away from its proposed new target for the reduction of serious road injuries. We fully support our colleagues at ETSC in urging the European Commission to ensure that the serious injury targets will be published, because the quality of life for millions of road crash victims is at stake."