§ 2.46 p.m.
§ Lord STRATHCARRONMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
The Question was as follows:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will introduce legislation to make compulsory the fitting of a lamp failure warning system to motor vehicles in the interest of road safety.
§ The PARLIAMENTARY UNDERSECRETARY, DEPARTMENT of the ENVIRONMENT (Baroness Birk)My Lords, available evidence indicates that failure of vehicle lamps is a relatively insignificant factor in causing accidents but the effectiveness of a lamp failure warning is yet unproven.
§ Lord STRATHCARRONMy Lords. I should like to thank the noble Baroness for that rather unsatisfactory reply. Is she aware that the motor industry spends enormous sums of money on implementing the various safety regulations in force, yet this very simple device would cost a manufacturer only approximately £1 to fit on to a new vehicle?
§ Baroness BIRKMy Lords, the problem is that there are a good many safety gadgets or instruments that could be 1646 applied to cars. My information is that, if it is fitted as original equipment, the cost would be about £8 per vehicle; that may be to the consumer and not to the manufacturer. Nevertheless, this would increase the cost of the car. We take the view that we have first to deal with those instruments which research and evidence have shown to be necessary for the safety of the vehicle and its occupants. Surveys carried out in 1971 by the TRRL indicated that about 30 fatal or serious accidents a year could be saved if all vehicles were fitted with a lamp failure monitor. This was a very small result compared with, say, fitting seat belts or something of that kind. We cannot afford all these things unless they are proved to be necessary.
§ Baroness EMMET of AMBERLEYMy Lords, may I ask the noble Baroness whether she realises how humiliating it is for a Member of this House such as myself, driving back to town with, I thought, both lights on, to be flagged down in Eton Square and told that my right-hand lamp is not working? I did not know it. It seems to me that this might happen to anybody in this House or, indeed, anywhere. It is a simple thing that could be put right by the suggestion of my noble friend.
§ Baroness BIRKMy Lords, there is simply no reason why any noble Lord or anyone else should not have this fitted. I was replying to the noble Lord's Question which implied a desire to make its fitting compulsory by legislation. The noble Baroness can very well have it fitted. I am sure the noble Lord will tell her how to set about it.
§ Lord WIGGMy Lords, will the Minister be kind enough to say whether there are any other countries which insist on this provision? I hope the Department does not forget that we are concerned with the export of cars. If other countries have this device, we ought to take it into account.
§ Baroness BIRKMy Lords, no other country, to my knowledge, insists on this device. If we go ahead and make it compulsory on cars, it will require an EEC Directive. The only cars, of which we are aware, that have this system fitted are Volvo cars. Since 1974 this system has been fitted to those cars. The cost 1647 of those vehicles, again, is in the higher bracket.
§ Lord LEATHERLANDMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that many of us—like the Wise Virgins—always check our lamps before we set out?
§ Lord STRATHCARRONMy Lords, if I may ask the noble Baroness a further question, would she agree that to drive a car with a faulty light bulb is an offence? Therefore this device would protect the motorist from an unwitting transgression of the law.
§ Baroness BIRKMy Lords, this would depend. I am sure the noble Lord is aware that, if he is driving his car and the lights fail, that is not an offence at that point. Our research shows that 50 per cent. of drivers of vehicles with these faults are perfectly aware of them at the time.
§ Lord THOMASMy Lords, is the noble Baroness aware that the principle of road safety is both to see and to be seen, and that a faulty lighting system is a frequent cause of lack of safety on roads? As an ex-motor manufacturer, I cannot believe that the mark-up between £1 manufacturer's cost and £8 retail is realistic.
§ Baroness BIRKMy Lords, of course it is important for lamps to function correctly. All I am saying is that we have not had evidence to make us feel that there is a need to make compulsory the fitting of this system. If a number of noble Lords want to fit this warning system to their cars, there is no reason why they should not do so. We are not discouraging it at all.
Lord PAGET of NORTHAMPTONMy Lords, is the noble Baroness aware that a defective light involves the further appalling risk that you may be breathalysed?
§ Lord SLATERMy Lords, is my noble friend aware that we are apt to make too much of this Question? Surely a car owner knows when the car is due for servicing and in the course of servicing, the lighting system of the car is checked by the garage mechanic.
§ Baroness BIRKMy Lords, I am sure that my noble friend is right. It is a 1648 matter of when this happens in an emergency, but I think I have dealt with that.