ETSC highlights five critical areas where recent legislative changes or proposals are actively undermining safety:
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Small electric vehicle safety “freeze” : a promised 10-year halt on new safety requirements for small EV’s, despite 40% of road deaths occurring in the urban environments where these vehicles proliferate.
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The rise of 60t “megatrucks”: pushing for cross-border movement of massive “gigaliners” that pose extreme risks to infrastructure and vulnerable road users.
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Standards dilution: the risk of a shift toward mutual recognition of US vehicle standards, threatening to flood EU markets with heavier, less-regulated SUVs and pickups.
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Younger lorry drivers: revisions to the Driving Licence Directive that lower minimum ages for HGV drivers, despite clear evidence of higher risk profiles for younger operators.
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Technical inspection gaps: leaving 70% of the motorcycle fleet (mopeds and motorcycles up to 125cc) without mandatory EU-wide annual safety checks.
Nobody is saying motorcycles should never be checked for compliance. The question is why the much simpler and lighter vehicle is subject to the same interval as the 2+ton machines that can injure dozens and close down a road if poorly maintained.
This feels like it was written by car-brained legislators who want to bring everyone down to their level, like when bicycle liscense plates were a thing.
And I didn’t say that anyone said that.
I didn’t get that ‘annual’ was the important part of your question, my bad. Idk man you’re probably right