The European Commission aims to subject ‘older’ vehicles to compulsory testing in a bid to cut fatalities on the roads. While the measure would require the consent of the European Parliament and all European Union member states, precedent suggests that cracking down on drivers—usually in the name of environmental protection—is second nature for Brussels.
Commission estimates suggest that regular inspections could help reduce the number of road deaths and injuries by about 1%, with older, more breakdown-prone automobiles treated as the main culprits, stating
Since cars are responsible for the vast majority of fatalities, and even if technical defects account for only a relatively small proportion of the causes of accidents, the annual inspection of older cars can make a significant difference. This is particularly true for safety.
The compulsory British MOT, which annually tests the roadworthiness of vehicles more than three years old, makes no claims to cut fatalities directly. Meanwhile, critics of the proposed scheme, including the German Automobile Club (ADAC), point to the dangers of stigmatising drivers of older cars (or undermining ‘social acceptance’). Apart from Alternative für Deutschland—concerned that almost 23 million passenger cars in Germany would be subject to frequent, costly inspections—few have yet to present the proposals as an attack on individual mobility.
If passed into law, the rules would fit a well-established pattern of EU politicians who legislate against inanimate objects when faced with threats to life. They would be more convincing if they could tackle Islamist mass casualty attacks, which use cars of all ages.
