EU – Baltic States, Legislation, Lithuania, Transport

The authority will inform the European Commission about its decision in written form. Lithuania considers that the European Commission is not rightly raising the question of banning the operation of vehicles basing on the reasons related to driving mechanism, as Directive 70/311/EEC does not contain even a hint on the mounting position of the steering wheel, writes LETA/ELTA.

In this regard, Lithuania does not determine any limitations. Lithuanian legal acts prohibit registration of vehicles with steering wheels on the right-hand side due to reasons related to the possibility for drivers to drive safely, however not due to the adequate operation or reliability of steering wheel mechanism.

Lithuanian legal acts do not restrict the free movement of goods. Lithuania has never prohibited the trade of road vehicles adjusted to the left-hand road side traffic and having the steering wheel on the right-hand side.

"The aim of registration prohibition for vehicles with right-hand side steering wheels consists in ensuring safety of drivers and other traffic actors. A large number of such vehicles on Lithuanian roads should inevitably deteriorate the situation", said Eligijus Masiulis, the Minister of Transport and Communications.

Driving of the vehicle with the steering wheel mounted on the right-hand side reduces the visual field for the driver, thus making such manoeuvres as overtaking, left turn, etc. more difficult. In the letter addressed to the European Commission it is written that this requires additional abilities and skills of driving that are not acquired on the first stage of driving training in Lithuania.

Research carried out in the USA, Canada and European countries showed that the risk for getting involved in traffic accidents on roads with right-side traffic is 30-40 percent higher for vehicles adjusted to the left-side road traffic.

In 2007-2010, from the United Kingdom, 9,066 vehicles were imported to Lithuania, 95 percent of which had their steering wheels mounted on the right-hand side. They were remade according to the defined requirements and adjusted for the right-side road traffic. Only then they were registered in Lithuanian Register of Vehicles.