EU citizens receive driver training diplomas from Commission

Publication date: 07 April 2008

Commissioner Viviane Reding today presented driver training certificates to eight EU citizens who had played the Intelligent Car Quiz. At the end of February, the 8 lucky winners were drawn from a pot of nearly 10,000 people who had completed the Quiz hosted on the Commission's Europa website. In total, more than 30,000 people have played the quiz so far.

The prize was a weekend trip to Luxemburg and an advanced driving training sponsored by the Automobile Club of Luxemburg (ACL). The training took place yesterday. After completion of the course, the prize-winners were given their training diplomas by Commissioner Reding in Colmar-Berg, Luxemburg, today. Commissioner Reding also tested one of the many new 'Intelligent Car' technologies - Electronic Stability Control (ESC).

The winners came from six different Member States:

Grenoble, France   
Kiel, Germany
Buskett, Malta   
Mtarfa, Malta
Poznan, Poland   
Torun, Poland
Malaga, Spain   
Birmingham, United Kingdom

Background:
The animated Intelligent Car Quiz is intended to make citizens aware of modern, information-and-communication-based road traffic safety systems. The entertaining quiz can still be played at www.ec.europa.eu/intelligentcar - although now without the chance of winning a prize!

ESC is a system that helps the driver master critical situations, e.g. if a child suddenly runs into the car's way and the driver abruptly changes direction in order not to hit the child. ESC would then prevent the car from skidding and support the driver keep or regain control of the vehicle. 4000 lives could annually be saved in the European Union, were all cares equipped with ESC. (More info: http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/intelligentcar/technologies/tech_09/index_en.htm).

In the framework of the Intelligent Car Initiative, a European-wide information campaign named ChooseESC! is currently conducted by non-profit organisation eSafetyAware! Please go to www.chooseesc.eu to learn more about ESC and the campaign.

Further information & press material is available as of 8 April from Thomas R. Haub, Communication Officer (thomas.haub@ec.europa.eu)

source: European Commission