European haulage drivers 'more likely' to crash
Date: 14 November 2007
Increased haulage load traffic between the UK and continental Europe is pushing the number of collisions on the nation's road up, according to a new report.
A study undertaken by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) found that more than 18,000 accidents on UK roads each year are caused by drivers from Europe.
Haulage drivers from the continent were found to be three times more likely to be involved in a crash than UK haulage drivers, but British drivers in general caused more than 5,000 accidents in Europe in 2006.
"Greater movement throughout Europe must not mean more dangerous roads," said Stephen Haddrill, director general of the ABI. "With 45 major differences in the road laws between member states, it is hardly surprising that cross-border driving is leading to more collisions."
Commenting on the study's findings, road safety charity Brake said that disparities between vehicle and road haulage safety standards contributes to the problem, as does inadequate EU information-sharing.
"This report confirms what Brake already feared; the lack of coordination of driving legislation and enforcement across Europe means drivers feel they can get away with not sticking to, or understanding, local laws," said Brake's head of campaigns, Cathy Keeler.
The charity also said that the language barrier and different unofficial signals between motorists and road haulage drivers could also cause confusion and accidents.
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