ECF Claims Bike-safe Cars

BRUSSELS, Belgium - At the Toyota Stakeholder Dialogue ECF Secretary General Dr. Bernhard Ensink presented a report on ‘Optimizing cars for bicyclists’ safety’. He criticized EuroNCAP (European New Car Assessment Programme) which does restrict itself to pedestrians.

Euro NCAP should be broadened to include bicycles. Based on a report the Dutch research Institute TNO. Bernhard Ensink stated that collisions dynamics for car-bicyclist collision differ significantly from those of car-pedestrian.

The report the ECF (European Cyclists Federation) presented to the representatives of Toyota and the European Commission leads the Dutch Fietsersbond and the ECF to three recommendations. At first to build car models with short and steep bonnets. Secondly to implement protective features like outer windscreen airbags and finally incorporate bicyclist’s safety in evaluation programs.

 “I was pleased to hear from Toyota that they are seriously working on safer car fronts”, said Bernhard Ensink after the meeting, “and I hope that Toyota will incorporate car-bicycle collisions in their research and developments.”

The presentation of the ECF Secretary General was a ‘pre-view’ of the presentation Dr. Theo Zeegers of the Dutch Cyclists’ Association (Fietsersbond) will give at the coming Velo-city 2007 bicycle planning conference in Munich from June 12th until 15th.