Fédération française des Usagers de la Bicyclette
FUB
Created in 1980, the French Cyclists' Federation (FUB) promotes cycling as a means of transport.
ID: 808364232031-82
Lobbying Activity
Response to REFIT review of the Motor Insurance Directive
12 Jul 2018
We are very much against the inclusion of power-assisted bicycles (EPACs) within the Motor Insurance Directive. A pedelec is not a motor vehicle it is a bicycle that provides a light assist while the user is still pedalling. These bicycles are therefore active modes of transport that can only be operated while the user pedals.
The European Union regulates power assisted cycles ranging from Type approval for manufacturers to driving license regulations, all have clearly separated power assisted bicycles from motorised vehicles. This clear distinction is essential for Member States, manufacturers and users alike to maintain the growth of these bicycles within a European single market and to prevent a patchwork of regulations and rules across the EU.
A mandatory third-party liability insurance for EPACs users is an over-regulatory barrier that would have a severe impact on the environmental and health benefits derived from riding these bicycles: the health benefits of cycling are over 191 billion Euros per year and EPACs are zero emission vehicles that tackle traffic congestions, air pollution, road safety, public health in cities. If motor vehicle insurance were to be made compulsory for EPACs, EPAC users would be discouraged from cycling, and these benefits lost.
The recovery of damages for pedelec crashes is recovered regardless of insurance, and damage is minimal and rare. Motor vehicles have mandatory 3rd party coverage because damage is often substantial. Extending the current motor insurance regime to many millions of additional vehicles, none of which are insured through motor vehicle insurance (though 99% are insured through home/transport/personal/liability insurance) will result in
- significant non-compliance, leading to an increase in uninsured driving, and a large administrative burden on the regulating authorities
- It would put up barriers to pedelec/bicycle use leading to more motorized vehicles on the roads that cause more third-party damages
- Bring confusion for our public authorities who do not want to penalise these bicycles with an overburdened motor insurance
- It would lead to over-regulation of vehicle insurance, and cause confusion as to how to implement the legislation nationally
- Would give insurance companies power over how people ride, what they should wear, where they can ride etc.
- Insurance companies may set insurance costs prohibitively high for a vehicle that they have not previously risk assessed (such as a pedelec) creating a bigger barrier to uptake
We believe that none of these issues nor the rights of the 10 million or so EAC users in the EU were taken seriously in the assessment for the review of this legislation. The European Union has left out the opinions of the transport sector and the public health sector in trying to understand the costs and benefits within a thorough impact assessment.
We call on the European Parliament and Member States to amend the text. We would like to see a definition of a motor vehicle within the legislation that excludes power assisted bicycles. More specifically we follow the European Cyclists’’ Federation position and would like to see “motor vehicle” defined with the word “solely” included in the text, therefore a motor vehicle should be a vehicle that is “…solely propelled by mechanical power.
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