Side-impact resistance of motor vehicles (amend. Directive 70/156/EEC)

OBJECTIVE: to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured in road accidents by the introduction of new standards for the lateral impact resistance of passenger cars. COMMUNITY MEASURE: European Parliament and Council Directive 96/27/EEC on the protection of occupants of motor vehicles in the event of a side impact and amending Directive 70/156/EEC. SUBSTANCE: The Directive applies to new vehicle types approved after 1 October 1998, and sets out a new test procedure (mobile barrier with a ground clearance of 300mm) which when fully implemented will more realistically represent typical side-impact accidents and should ensure that a reasonable level of side-impact resistance is provided. The Directive incorporates the technical prescriptions developed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, on the basis of experimental research work carried out by the European Experimental Vehicles Committee. Together with the Directive on frontal impact accidents - still under consideration by the Council - it establishes a uniform legislation in the Community on crash-tests. DATE OF ENTRY INTO FORCE: 28/07/1996 DEADLINE FOR TRANSPOSITION INTO NATIONAL LEGISLATION: 20/05/1997. �