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

The European Parliament adopted the report by Mr Alan John DONNELLY (PSE, UK). In general, Parliament proposed doing away with the two-stage procedure for frontal-impact collision tests. For these tests, the stage involving a 30% angled rigid barrier test would be done away with. Instead, models would immediately undergo an offset deformable barrier test. Furthermore, with regard to frontal impacts, Parliament proposed a set of stricter test criteria, including an increase in the test speed to at least 56 km/h (instead of 50 km/h). The new test standard would be compulsory from 1 October 1998 for new car models and from 1 October 2003 for all new vehicles. Finally, Parliament proposed that two years after the adoption of the legislation on frontal impacts, the review should cover the need to increase the test speed from 56 km/h to 64 km/h. �