This report summarises the findings of an event hosted by the FIA Foundation, which gathered a group of world experts to discuss how civil society could contribute towards ensuring vehicles comply with emission legislation and consumers are provided with reliable information. The meeting was held in part in response to the “Dieselgate” scandal, where vehicles have been shown to be emitting more pollution on the road than in laboratory type-approval tests.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is calling on governments around the world to apply the UN’s most important vehicle safety regulations. In its 2015 Global Status Report on Road Safety the WHO revealed “worrying data showing that less than half of countries implement minimum standards” and warns that “Governments have a responsibility to take the steps needed to ensure their citizens have access to safe vehicles”.
Using seven priority vehicle safety standards recommended by Global NCAP, the WHO has carried out a unique survey on how they are currently being applied by governments around the world. The seven standards are from the UN’s World Forum for Harmonisation of Vehicle Regulations and cover seat belts, seat belt anchorages, front and side impact, electronic stability control, pedestrian protection and child seats. The results show that they are being fully applied by only 40 out of a total of 193 UN Member States and overwhelmingly by high-income countries. The Report argues that “there is an urgent need for these minimum vehicle standards to be implemented by every country”.