UN: Slovak Scientists Show How Front Brake Lights Can Reduce Number of Crashes

Bratislava/Geneva, 31 October (TASR) - At a meeting of the Working Party on Lighting and Light-Signalling under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe's (UNECE) World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations, which was held in Geneva, Switzerland last week, Slovak scientists presented their research into front brake lights, which could reduce the number of road accidents, TASR has learnt from spokesperson for the Front Brake Light project Paula Duranova. The team also plans to propose amendments to vehicle regulations at the Working Party's next meeting. "The presentation in Geneva is the first step for us, not the final goal. Results from laboratory tests and real-world traffic show that front brake lights can reduce the number of accidents. We'll now prepare a specific proposal for amending UN regulations," said Milos Poliak, Dean of the Faculty of the Operation and Economics of Transport and Communications at the University of Zilina. Along with university officials, the Slovak delegation included representatives of the Transport Ministry. Speaking to an audience of automotive lighting experts from nearly 90 countries, the delegation presented laboratory studies by the University of Bonn, as well as the results of research conducted by the University of Zilina. This was one the most extensive real-world tests of front brake lights in Europe, with a total of 3,072 vehicles participating in the study across Zilina and Trencin regions and covering a combined 38.24 million kilometres. The accident rate among vehicles equipped with front brake lights fell by 12.02 percent. The University of Zilina has also calculated the economic benefits, showing that with 20 percent of vehicles using front brake lights, Slovakia could save €186.35 million annually. Over five years, the savings would amount to almost €1 billion. jrg/df/ko