Ireland has joined forces with 7 of its EU counterparts to lobby the EU Commissioner Elizbieta Bienkowska, to take immediate action on the introduction of new technologies in car manufacturing that could save thousands of lives on EU roads every year.
This comes on the back of Garda figures that show 26 people have died on our roads so far in 2017, 2 more than the same time last year – a horrendous year for Irish road safety.
Speaking from Brussels, Deirdre Clune MEP said ‘we are facing a crisis on Irish roads’.
“Speed, drink driving and the use of mobile phones are all issues that we cannot seem to get a handle on. The time for talking has passed. We need a coordinated action plan at national and at EU level to ensure we have proper enforcement of the law but also changes to new technologies at EU level to ensure that new technologies which save lives are made mandatory in all new cars produced in Europe.”
Ms Clune said technologies like over-ridable Intelligent Speed Assistance, Automated Emergency Braking and Advanced Seat-belt Reminder Systems should be fitted as standard in our cars, ‘not as optional extras’.
“Fitting them as optional extras means that those who can afford them, have a safer driving experience that those who cannot – surely, this is something we must change,” she said.
