VIDEO / Some European associations of road victims meet up in Moulins (France) / FRANCE3 By Valentin Pasquier Published 29.10.2016 / Translation by Claudio Martino, AIFVS AUFV
The first European conference of associations defending road accident victims was held in Moulins (France). Nineteen associations gathered to talk about their experiences of bereavement, but mainly to act together at the legal level
FRANCE3 By Valentin Pasquier Published on 29.10.2016 at 19:48
The French roads have killed 335 people in September 2016, that is 30% more than the previous month. But behind these figures there are people, families.
At the European Congress of road victims in Moulins (France), all participants experienced a tragedy. Often the loss of a child. During this first edition, nineteen French, Belgian and Italian associations came together to exchange their experiences.
“Each association did extraordinary things, but there was a lack of communication between them”, said Christine Jans, organizer of the congress. “The goal, today, is just to see who does, where, how, and to study what we can do to join our forces.”
The day is structured around workshops. Here, the talking is about road safety but also legal assistance and compensation for victims. This conference is primarily used to exchange ideas but above all to come together in order to be heard.
“In Belgium, we are not listened to, in France apparently it’s the same”, Santo Abbate regrets, a member of a Belgian association. “It’s necessary to prepare a bill in common, which could put pressure to achieve something concrete in Europe, as in our respective countries there is nothing.”
The associations call for a more severe repression, especially for road fatalities.
A HARDER REPRESSION FOR HIT-AND-RUN DRIVERS
“In Italy, five months ago, the penalties have become heavier”, transalpine Claudio Martino observes. “My French and Belgian friends are interested in what has happened in that country.”
Among the lines of work of the European Convention, the increase of penalties for fatalities’ responsible occupies a prominent place. The associations’ hope is that they are prosecuted for voluntary manslaughter, a crime punished by 30 years imprisonment. Today, hit-and-run drivers face up to five years in prison only.
