Liikanen reflects on law to bring in blind-spot mirrors

Date: 10/01/02

MAKERS of trucks and vans could soon be forced to fit special rear-view mirrors in their vehicles under

tough new safety measures being considered at the Commission.

Industry chief Erkki Liikanen wants to make 'blind-spot' mirrors mandatory for light and heavy duty commercial vehicles in a bid to cut the casualty toll on Europe's roads.

The rules would need to be approved by Union transport ministers before coming into force.

In a response to a demand for action from Dutch MEP Erik Meijer, Liikanen said many member states had already signalled their support for the safety move.

The new law would require:

• Additional front mirrors on trucks and exterior rear-view mirrors on the passenger side of cars;
• Mirror design modifications such as changes to surface curvature to boost the field of view;
• Greater use of safety technology such as camera systems.

The proposals follow Commission efforts to broker a voluntary code with car manufacturers designed to alter the shape and material used in car fronts to minimise injuries to pedestrians in accidents.

Manufacturers have promised to put new products through tough safety tests.

A draft directive on the issue was shelved after Liikanen backed a voluntary code which he said would bring safety gains sooner. But road safety campaigners said the code would be weaker than legislation and result in more unnecessary deaths.

Makers of trucks and vans could soon be forced to fit special rear-view mirrors in their vehicles under new safety measures being considered by the Commission.