Europese vervoersministers akkoord over samenwerking inzake verkeersveiligheid (en)

Informal Meeting of Transport Ministers in Bregenz ended today

"This Informal Meeting of Transport Ministers has been a great success. For two days Bregenz has been a focus for road safety in Europe. The lively discussions have shown that road safety is something one cannot talk about often enough. We have set a clear course", Hubert Gorbach, Transport Minister and President of the Council, said at the closing press conference in Bregenz on Friday. The statistics showed how necessary it was to keep this topic on the agenda, Gorbach continued, referring to the 40,000 deaths on Europe's roads in 2005, 10,000 of which had been the result of alcohol abuse.

Minister Gorbach said that the day's session on "Crossing Borders in Creating Awareness" had also been a good opportunity to compare different measures and campaigns by the participating countries in the road safety domain. "Today the focus has been on the battle to save lives and prevent road deaths. We therefore agree that this is not an area for making economies, but one in which joint priorities must be coordinated and set. We have agreed a joint campaign which may include as a theme driving under the influence of alcohol or when excessively tired. Experts will now draw up proposals. It is important to set joint road safety priorities in an age of increasing mobility. Our overriding objective is to cut the number of deaths on the roads by half throughout Europe", the Council President said, announcing plans for a pan-European information campaign with billboards along major highways and at motorway service stations.

Commissioner Jacques Barrot i stressed that there were three important approaches to road safety as far as the Commission is concerned: safe behaviour by traffic participants, safe roads and safe vehicles. The Commission was also considering introducing a road safety day. Mr Barrot thanked the Austrian Presidency for the presentation of innovative examples of modern vehicle technology during yesterday's visit to the ÖAMTC Road Safety Centre in Röthis.