In the interest of pedestrian safety, the EU and European motor industry have undertaken to ban rigid bullbars from all future vehicles. CARtoday.com poses the question: Do most bullbars really serve a purpose – or are they fashion accessories?
In the interest of pedestrian safety, the EU and European motor industry have undertaken to ban rigid bullbars from all future vehicles. CARtoday.com poses the question: Do most bullbars really serve a purpose – or are they fashion accessories?
The decision to ban bullbars was taken after complex negotiations between the ACEA, a pan-European motor industry body, and representatives of the EU. However, the rules don’t come into effect immediately as most of the changes will have to be incorporated into new cars at the design stage, AutoExpress reported recently.
The voluntary code also states that ABS must be standard on 90 per cent of vehicles sold next year, and then on all cars by July 2004. Daytime running lights must be standard on all models by October 2003.
ACEA boss Paolo Cantarella said the tighter controls on pedestrian-friendly bonnets and bumpers “showed that the EU and the auto industry could work together".
Bullbars on four-wheel drive vehicles – especially as after sale, bolt-on accessories – are just as popular in Europe as in South Africa. European road safety campaigners recently welcomed the ban, but said the regulations still didn’t go far enough.
In fact, the European Transport Safety Council was reported as saying ministers had given in to manufacturers who have been lobbying the EU. According to the council, more than 2 000 of the 9 300 cyclist and pedestrian deaths in Europe every year would survive if stricter crash tests were implemented.
It is commonly accepted that bullbars provide effective protection to the front-ends of bundu-bashing 4x4s. However, some might argue that few owners of SUVs equipped with the rigid implements actually use their vehicles off-road. Once conservation, construction and farming vehicles are taken out of the equation, how many owners – with the exception of the fanatical outdoor types – really take their vehicles off the beaten track?
There can be no doubt that bullbars add to the macho appeal of SUVs, and that their production generates valuable business for the local motor industry. The other side of the argument questions whether bull bars should be available to all road users… to the possible detriment of pedestrians’ safety?
