UK urged to accept crash technology

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Potentially life-saving car accident technology which alerts the emergency services after a crash could be made available if the UK and Ireland sign up to the agreement.

Europe's mobile phone operators agreed with Brussels that they would put "eCall" in place, an in-car automatic emergency system. If installed in a car, eCall can automatically notify the local emergency services of the location of a crash, even if the car's occupants are unable to say where they are.

The European Commission has encouraged all member states to join, but six - the UK, Ireland, Denmark, France, Latvia and Malta - are yet to sign the document to put eCall into action. The Commission believes eCall could save up to 2,500 lives a year.

EU Telecoms Commissioner Viviane Reding, who praised the mobile phone companies "social responsibility", said: "Mobile operators, the car industry and the majority of member states have shown the necessary commitment, but six countries still have not done so.

"They should now take their foot off the brake and speed up the introduction of a system that can save lives. Otherwise the Commission will need to propose legislation next year."

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