Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-002082/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Elena Nevado del Campo (PPE)
In 2023, 3 698 pedestrians were hit by vehicles on EU roads and died, accounting for 18 % of all road fatalities. When a driver has an accident or breaks down on a motorway or dual carriageway, they must get out of their vehicle and set up a warning triangle at a distance of 50 metres from the vehicle, which exposes them to traffic unnecessarily.
The V-16 – a warning light with network connectivity – is an alternative that marks the position of a vehicle effectively without the driver needing to get out, meaning that even people with reduced mobility can use it easily. This significantly reduces the risk of people being run over or involved in other accidents because they were exposed to traffic.
As a result, Spain has made the V-16 emergency light mandatory in accordance with the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic, which allows the use of alternative warning devices if they are as effective as the traditional triangle. In addition, the triangle is no longer mandatory in other countries such as the United Kingdom and Luxembourg due to the risks involved.
In light of the above:
Is the Commission considering harmonising regulation at EU level to replace the warning triangle with safer, technological alternatives, such as the one already in use in Spain?
Submitted: 22.5.2025