EU Road Safety Programme 'a missed opportunity'
Friday 23 July 2010 Back to Blog
The EU has missed out on an opportunity to provide better driver training for van contract hire customers, it has been suggested.
According to the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), the new EU Road Safety Programme has failed to take into account the impact extra training can have on reducing motoring accidents.
The EU initiative seeks to set out key objectives for reducing accidents across the roads of the member states.
These include building safer roads, better enforcement, targeting injuries and a new focus on motorcyclists.
However, the IAM argues the programme was mistaken no to include a greater emphasis on driver training.
Neil Greig, IAM director of policy and research, said: "This is a missed opportunity to highlight the benefits of a lifelong learning approach to driving.
"There is convincing evidence that further training makes drivers safer, and could be relatively cost-effective compared to some of the other suggestions which involve massive changes to cars and roads."
The European Commission report accompanying the programme revealed that in 2009, the UK was the Member State with the lowest road fatality rate by population - at 38 fatalities per million inhabitants.