On Monday 25 March, the European Parliament and the Council reached a deal to ensure that all new vehicles will be equipped with new safety measures from 2022 onwards. This represents a major step forwards to protect the lives of pedestrians and cyclists on the streets of our cities, as well as vehicle occupants. It is estimated that this agreement will save 25,000 lives across the next 15 years.

23,000 people lose their lives each year on European Union roads. 37% of all road fatalities occur on the streets of our cities and urban areas, involving unacceptable numbers of pedestrians and cyclists.

On Monday 25 March, the European Parliament and the Council reached a deal to ensure that all new vehicles will be equipped with new safety measures from 2022 onwards. This represents a major step forwards to protect the lives of pedestrians and cyclists on the streets of our cities, as well as vehicle occupants. It is estimated that this agreement will save 25,000 lives across the next 15 years.

The agreement mandates the use of advanced safety features, such as intelligent speed assistance (ISA) and automated emergency braking (AEB), which together can support drivers adhering to speed limits and avoiding pedestrians and cyclists on the road. In addition, trucks and buses will have improved ‘direct’ vision to ensure that drivers are better able to see and avoid vulnerable road users around the vehicle.

Commenting on the provisional agreement, Anna Lisa Boni, secretary general of EUROCITIES said:

“The agreement between the European Parliament and the Council on the General Safety Regulation for improved vision for drivers and advanced new vehicle safety features will result in many lives saved on our city streets. I am enormously pleased by this result and so are the over 140 cities across the EUROCITIES membership.”