The European Parliament votes to accept Pan-European enforcement

In a landmark move, the European parliament has voted to approve Pan-European enforcement of traffic laws. This will allow police forces across Europe to share information on foreign motorists who break road traffic rules. No longer will offenders be able to dodge fines and other penalties for driving offences while committed abroad. The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) and TISPOL – the European Traffic Police Network have both welcomed this move Non-resident drivers account for approximately 5% of
February 11, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
RSS

In a landmark move, the European parliament has voted to approve Pan-European enforcement of traffic laws. This will allow police forces across Europe to share information on foreign motorists who break road traffic rules. No longer will offenders be able to dodge fines and other penalties for driving offences while committed abroad. The 1197 European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) and 4753 TISPOL – the European Traffic Police Network have both welcomed this move
Non-resident drivers account for approximately 5% of road traffic in the EU but are responsible for 15% of speeding offences, according to 2465 European Commission figures. The law is expected to save at least 400 lives/year. The new rules cover offences including speeding, drink driving, using a mobile phone at the wheel and ignoring red lights.

Antonio Avenoso, Executive Director of the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) said, “Today’s vote will help put an end to the injustice of foreign drivers escaping traffic penalties while locals get punished for the same offence. This is a long overdue change. The deterrent effect is important, knowing that you can be caught plays a key role in preventing dangerous driving.”

The law will come into effect in most EU countries later this year; Denmark, Ireland and the UK will have two additional years. Those three countries opted-out of an earlier version of the rules, but agreed to back a new proposal after the European Court of Justice ruled last year that the legal basis had to be changed. The rules are also set to be reviewed in 2016.

TISPOL General Secretary Ruth Purdie commented, “The next step will be to improve enforcement of traffic laws across the EU, starting with minimum standards for large-scale, regular and visible police enforcement actions on the three main causes of death: speeding, failure to wear a seat belt and drink driving.”

The European Parliament's vote is the culmination of a seven-year legislative process and today’s positive result is thanks in no small part to several MEPs who have fought tirelessly for stronger enforcement of road safety rules across the EU. Inés Ayala Sender, a Spanish MEP, deserves particular credit for shepherding this law through the EU decision-making process since it was first proposed in 2008.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Cleaner off-highway machines for Europe
    July 5, 2016
    Off-highway machines will become the cleanest in the world, according to a new regulation adopted by the European Parliament. The new Regulation tightens emission limits for particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) for mobile machines such construction and quarrying machinery as well as equipment used for municipal and road operation services. The regulation is the latest step in a series of limits, which have already reduced particulate matter and nitrogen oxide emissions for land-based machin
    Read More
  • India’s IRTE wins top Prince Michael of Kent Safety Award
    July 4, 2019
    India’s Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE) was among the international winners at the annual Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards in London. IRTE picked up the Premier Award for its road injury prevention programme and for being a key partner in the Safer Cars for India project established by Global NCAP, an independent certification body that evaluates the safety of vehicles. Part of IRTE’s strategy has been the setting up of what is believed to be Asia’s first Masters of Science i
    Read More
  • Call for a new EU road safety action plan
    April 30, 2012
    Members of the European Parliament have this week proposed over one hundred measures to improve road safety in the European Union. Their key aim is to better protect vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, cyclists, children and the elderly.
    Read More
  • Work related crashes are a major factor in the EU
    June 20, 2017
    Work-related crashes account for up to 40% of road deaths in Europe. This is the finding of research by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC). The findings come as safety gains on Europe’s roads have hit a plateau. According to the ETSC, employers could be essential to tackling road risks and improving safety overall. The report by the ETSC says that employers, national governments and the European Union must boost efforts to tackle the problem of work-related road risk. In 2016, 25,671 lives were lo
    Read More

Highlighted Content