July 01, 2022
The die is cast: Dutch riders of mopeds (and their passengers) will have to wear a mandatory helmet as of January 1st, 2023. Plans for the compulsory helmet were already imminent, but now the situation is finally clear. Those who hit the road without a helmet risk a fine of 100 euros. The measure applies […]
June 27, 2022
The city of Antwerp introduced new regulations for shared e-scooters. From July 18th onward, ‘no go zones’, ‘no park zones’, and ‘slow-speed zones’ will be marked. Technology makes cheating impossible. For example, in a ‘no go zone’, the e-scooters will automatically reduce speed and come to a halt if you enter the area. The city […]
June 27, 2022
Last year, the federal police fined more than 4,6 million drivers for speeding in Belgium. That is more than ever, or an increase of 14,75% compared to 2020. According to the police, “people experience a kind of urge for compensation after corona.” And, of course, this leads to more traffic fines. “People seem to give […]
June 24, 2022
One in two Walloon motorists is driving too fast to go on holiday. This is shown in a survey by the Walloon Road Safety Agency (AWSR) published on Friday. The survey also shows that more than half of Walloon men and women will leave for other countries this summer, mainly by car. According to the […]
June 21, 2022
Last year, there were 42 566 traffic victims in Belgium. Most of them were lightly injured. However, 3 908 people were seriously injured and 516 people died within thirty days of the accident. This is a decrease compared to previous years. These figures come from the Belgian statistics office Statbel. In addition, 34 640 road […]
June 21, 2022
After decades of postponing, the Mobility Committee of the Belgian Parliament is finally going into the details this week of a driver’s with points, as inscribed into the coalition agreement of the Vivaldi government. The Belgian road safety institute Vias was asked to study the consequences and modalities and presented the results to the MPs. […]
June 20, 2022
Six bars and discotheques will be equipped with interactive breath analyzer terminals, notably in Wavre, Braine-l’Alleud, and Waterloo. The so-called ‘breathalyzer project’ is a pilot experiment, with a budget of 120 000 euros, which will run in each Walloon province. The first started last Friday in Walloon Brabant. The Walloon Minister for Road Safety, Valérie […]
June 20, 2022
To facilitate thorough repairs, the Kinkempois and Grosses Battes tunnels on the E25-E40/A602 highway link in Liège will be closed in both directions between 4 July and 23 August. More precicely between the junctions 38 Angleur/Grosses Battes/Belle-Île and 37 Val Benoit/Seraing/Marche. The highway is still suffering the consequences of last summer’s heavy floods. This was […]
June 16, 2022
Whoever wants to use a shared e-scooter of Bolt by unlocking the QR code must take an alcohol test. The cognitive reaction test is included in Bolt’s app and is mandatory for everyone who wants to use the e-scooter on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. The (micro)mobility operator, which […]
June 16, 2022
In April, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo installed an expert committee to battle inflation and study ‘buying power and competitiveness’. Yesterday, Pierre Wunsch, chair of the committee and Governor of the National Bank, presented its intermediate conclusions. Among them, clear recommendations were to gradually reduce the highway speed limit to 100 kph and reduce […]
June 16, 2022
In May, 690 drivers were caught using their smartphones at the wheel in the province of East Flanders. As a result, their drivers’ licenses were suspended for eight days. Earlier, the public prosecutor had warned of a severe approach. “The inadmissible use of the smartphone at the wheel will immediately be punished with an eight-day […]
June 13, 2022
Ten years ago, during Picnic The Streets, up to 3000 citizens claimed the public space on the Boulevard Anspach in the heart of Brussels for the first time to banish the car from the city center. On Sunday, in Cinema Palace, the organization looked back, but they looked ahead to the future. Afterward, another symbolic […]
June 07, 2022
The renovation of several tunnels in Brussels has been postponed. This was reported by the newspapers De Tijd and L’Echo. An independent audit to get the Brussels’ budget under control is basically why the renovation of some Brussels tunnels will occur later than initially planned. The Brussels Region drew up a multi-annual investment program in […]
June 01, 2022
Pedestrians and cyclists who encounter a heavy car in a traffic accident face double the chance of losing their lives compared to lighter vehicles. These are the findings from VIAS. The safety association performed a cross-study, linking the data from accident statistics to vehicle registrations. The survey also looked at the possible impact of age […]
May 31, 2022
The first bridge over the Brussels Ring Road is ready for use. The bridge, located near the Diegem train station, follows the railway line between Leuven and Brussels and connects to the F3 cycling highway. Flemish Minister for Mobility and Public Works Lydia Peeters (Open VLD) officially inaugurated the 169-meter-long bridge on Monday. Motivate commuters […]
May 24, 2022
Road safety institute Vias advocates the rapid introduction of a driving license based on points to which measures and judicial sanctions are automatically linked up to a certain level. This is stated in a study commissioned by Federal Minister of Mobility Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo), and for which a comparison was made with the practices of […]
May 23, 2022
Belgian Minister of Mobility Georges Gilkinet (Ecolo) wants the penalties for speeding to be more proportionate to the seriousness of the offence and the risk to other road users, especially the most vulnerable. It is no coincidence that the Minister is launching this trial balloon now. Accident statistics are not good in Belgium. The figures […]
May 20, 2022
Road signs warning for crossing toads, ducklings, or deer are a familiar sight on Belgian roads. But in Wetteren, commuters on the cycle highway alongside the railway are now warned of a new species: wall lizards. Their growing population led to a casualty rate demanding precautionary measures. The population of wall lizards living asides from […]
May 13, 2022
Flemish Minister of Mobility, Lydia Peeters (Open Vld), wants to know the effect of lowering the speed on the highways around Ghent. She, therefore, ordered a study, the Minister announced on Thursday in the Mobility Commission of the Flemish Parliament. The Minister hopes she will be able to start a test phase based on the […]
May 11, 2022
Drivers who are caught using their smartphones while driving risk the immediate withdrawal of their driver’s license for eight days. That is what the public prosecutor of East Flanders announced. As a matter of fact, the prosecutor’s office confirmed to Belga News Agency that it already had revoked about a hundred driver’s licenses on Monday […]
May 05, 2022
According to a new study by the Walloon Road Safety Agency (AWSR), published on the occasion of a new awareness-raising campaign being held throughout May, one in 20 drivers follow online meetings while driving. The proportion of this new phenomenon even rises to one in six for those in management positions. The inhabitants of Walloon […]
May 05, 2022
Flemish Minister of Mobility, Lydia Peeters (Open Vld), wants to reorganize the training of drivers to get their license. She pleads for a practice period of at least five months and a temporary driver’s license. She also wants to introduce a mandatory training session for coaches, often parents who’re training their son or daughter. They […]
May 03, 2022
The Flemish Foundation for Traffic Science (Vlaamse Stichting Verkeerskunde, VSV) launches a new campaign against cell phones at the wheel. VSV discovered that more than eight out of ten drivers regularly use their smartphones while driving. Driving with a hand-held cell phone more than doubles the risk of an accident. Dialing alone multiplies that risk […]
May 02, 2022
On Friday, the RATP, the Autonomous Management of Parisian Transport, temporarily removed 149 electric buses from circulation as a precaution. The reason is two recent fires in such vehicles in the middle of the street in the French capital. The vehicles involved are from the Bolloré Bluebus 5SE series. On Friday, an e-bus running on […]
April 27, 2022
The King’s Prosecutor in the Belgian Halle-Vilvoorde district has decided to crack down on drivers using their cell phones while driving. When caught, drivers will automatically be banned from driving for eight days to start. Further, they will be liable to a driving ban of up to five years with a fine of up to […]
April 27, 2022
In 84% of e-scooter accidents, the user is the only one involved, and the condition of the road, the light, and driving under the influence are often the cause. One-third of the victims were drunk. This is shown by a study on e-scooter accidents carried out for a year among patients admitted to the emergency […]
April 26, 2022
Four out of ten Flemish citizens – 42%, to be specific – get annoyed about the driving behavior of their partner. One-third of them (32%) even say they sometimes quarrel about it. Women are more easily irritated (46%) about the driving behavior of their partner than men; men don’t mind that much (37%). The figures […]
April 26, 2022
Last year, the Brussels Region paid out 771 547 euros in compensation for the poor state of the roads. Two hundred ten complaints were handled, 107 following incidents on the Ring Road. Also, five motorcyclists, 13 pedestrians, 19 cyclists, and three scooter users suffered damage due to the bad condition of the road. Although it […]
April 25, 2022
In 2021, the police fined a record number of drivers for speeding, data VTM News could lay hands on shows. During the first six months of the year, 12 810 infringements per day were registered. Enough to break the record figures from 2020. To be specific, 4 060 468 fines were issued in 2020. Corona […]
April 22, 2022
The environmental organization Bond Beter Leefmilieu (BBL) complains about the indecisiveness of the Flemish government to tax pick-ups properly. Already in 2020, Flemish Finance Minister Diependaele announced that the taxing of pick-ups would be changed. But, until now, nothing has happened. In Belgium, pick-ups are considered to be light commercial vehicles. This means they don’t […]
April 22, 2022
Flemish Minister of Mobility, Lydia Peeters (Open Vld), has announced the arrival of 43 new average speed checks along the regional roads in Flanders. Local authorities submitted a request for them. “They are best qualified to judge local traffic situations,” explains Minister Peeters. Flanders already has 251 average speeds checks, bringing the total number to […]
April 21, 2022
The Belgian Chamber Committee for Mobility has given the green light for a bill regulating the use of e-scooters in traffic. The new law will provide an age limit of 16, and in the future, e-scooters will be banned from footways. The bill still needs to be approved by the plenary chamber. The e-scooters have […]
April 21, 2022
The British Department for Transportation (DfT) has proposed an update to the Highway Code, making it possible for drivers of autonomous cars to watch movies while the vehicle’s ‘autopilot’ has taken over control. The update also concludes that insurance companies are liable in the case of an accident with these types of cars and not […]
April 12, 2022
The number of seriously injured traffic victims in the Netherlands has increased spectacularly (+18%) in the last ten years. In 2021, 110 000 Dutch traffic victims ended up in Intensive Care; 66 600 of them had serious injuries, mainly caused by bicycle accidents. One out of three (44%) were cyclists aged 55 or older, followed […]
April 11, 2022
After a pilot project launched in October 2021, Minister of Justice, Vincent Van Quickenborne (Open Vld), has announced that all average speed checks on Belgian highways will be permanently operational before the summer. Drivers exceeding a speed of 129 km/hour will be fined automatically. Average speed checks are considered to be more effective than speed […]
April 07, 2022
During the first half of 2021, more than 1,6 million drivers in Flanders – 11% more than in the same period in 2019 – were caught speeding. More than half of them (27,4%) drove more than 10 km/hour faster than the allowed speed limit. The figures are based on statistics of the Federal Police. “Speeding […]
April 01, 2022
The Flemish Minister of Mobility, Lydia Peeters (Open Vld), rejects the idea of introducing a maximum speed limit of 100 km/hour on the highways. Yesterday, we wrote that Groen, Flanders’ green political party, had suggested introducing a temporary speed limit of 100 kph on the highways. The measure would improve safety, save money and fuel, […]
March 30, 2022
The Institute for Mobility (IMOB) of Hasselt University uses drones and special software to map dangerous traffic situations. The project fits in the MIA approach that Flemish Minister for Mobility, Lydia Peeters (Open Vld), introduced last year. MIA stands for the Dutch ‘Mobiliteit Innovatief Aanpakken’ (Innovative Approach to Mobility). The general idea is to improve […]
March 29, 2022
Last year, the number of traffic deaths in the European Union increased by 5% compared to 2020. In 2021, 19 800 people died in traffic, or 1 000 more than one year before. Still, these figures were 13% lower compared to pre-corona times. The figures were published on March 28th by the European Commission. The […]
March 29, 2022
Data from thousands of Dutch Mercedes drivers will be used to gather information on the status of roads and help to identify hazardous traffic spots. Mercedes has won a two-year contract with the Ministery of Transport and Public Works, making the info from its cars on the road readily available for the authorities and subcontractors. […]
March 28, 2022
Driving suitability center CARA, a subdivision of the traffic institute Vias, has given negative advice to 543 persons in 2021. The number corresponds to 11,6% of the 4 660 files from the Flemish region that were handled. Almost half of the people whom CARA deemed fit for driving had to make one or more adjustments […]
March 23, 2022
In a recent survey, Belgian cycling association Gracq asked 13 500 people to judge the cycling environment of their municipalities. Only two, Louvain-la-Neuve and Marche-en-Famenne, have been classed as ‘fairly favorable’. All in all, only 6% of Walloon find their local cycling conditions good, while 77% consider it to be poor or very poor. Walloon […]
March 21, 2022
Last weekend, Flemish Minister of Mobility, Lydia Peeters (Open Vld), and the Flemish Foundation for Traffic Science (Vlaamse Stichting Verkeerskunde, VSV) launched a new campaign to get more people on the bicycle. “Especially for short-distance trips,” she added. She gave the kick-off in Oudenaarde (East of Flanders). One of the figureheads of the campaign is […]
March 18, 2022
Ford is opening up its ‘secret’ Lommel Proving Ground facilities and its team of highly skilled trainers to the general public, offering basic safety up to specialist sporty driving skills courses. At €249 per person, everyone can learn to control a vehicle on a slippery surface in all kinds of conditions or how to avoid […]
March 18, 2022
By 2026, more than 600 of the 700 traffic lights installed along the regional road network in Wallonia will become smart traffic lights. The intervention should ensure that buses are given priority at intersections and that traffic flows more smoothly. On Thursday, the Walloon Government approved a contract to modernize traffic lights, announced Walloon Mobility […]
March 14, 2022
Physical aggression in traffic increases. According to traffic safety institute Vias, the number of cases tripled in five years. Last year, seven percent of drivers were confronted with it. In 2017, it was hardly 2%. General aggression, however, like swearing or calling names, declined slightly, from 57% in 2017 to 54% in 2021. Remarkable is […]
March 14, 2022
The Brussels Parliament has approved the proposal to better regulate shared e-scooters, bikes, and mopeds. The text provides compulsory parking in drop zones, reduced speed in pedestrian zones, and stricter enforcement. The latter is meant to tackle the nuisance of e-scooters lying around and the lack of safety in pedestrian zones. From now on, there […]
March 11, 2022
Flemish Minister of Mobility Lydia Peeters (Open Vld) doesn’t want a ‘refresh’ test for car drivers ten years after they’ve passed their initial driving tests. “Keeping one’s traffic knowledge up-to-date is every road user’s responsibility,” she said. Sector organization GOCA Flanders, responsible for the driver’s license exams and technical control centers, has proposed to check […]
March 07, 2022
On Sunday, Flemish Minister of Mobility, Lydia Peeters (Open Vld), announced 42 new road construction works this year along Flemish highways. More than 80 km of road surface will be replaced or renewed. Good for a €476 million investment. “Despite permanent efforts, road infrastructure in Flanders still has some catching up to do,” Minister Peeters […]
March 04, 2022
Scooter maker Segway moves into unchartered territory with the KickScooter GT2, a high-performance model not only delivering a range of 90 kilometers, but also a top speed of 70 km/hour. That’s three times the legal speed for e-scooters in Belgium. The GT2 is far from regular. Where an e-scooter usually rides on 8-inch wheels, the […]
March 04, 2022
On Wednesday, Tier Mobility, Europe’s leading shared mobility provider, announced its acquisition of Ford’s subsidiary Spin, which specialized in shared electric bikes and scooters. Through this acquisition, Tier expands into North America, becoming the largest multimodal micro-mobility operator globally in terms of number of cities and vehicles. The purchase price or other financial information about […]
March 02, 2022
Brussels Mobility wants to reorganize the Sainctelette Square and the IJzer Square that are lying side by side. Both squares should become one open space with more room and comfort for cyclists, pedestrians, and public transport. About three years ago, the Sainctelette Square was ‘declared’ Brussels’ most dangerous junction. The actual reorganization plans should alter […]
March 01, 2022
The planned test project in which the four lanes of the Brussels Belliard Street would temporarily be reduced to three lanes has been postponed for the time being. The intention of the test arrangement, which was planned during the crocus holidays, was to turn the left-hand lane into a bicycle lane. But the City of […]
February 28, 2022
Flemish Minister of Mobility, Lydia Peeters (Open Vld), is planning to reserve 300 million euros for safe and comfortable bicycle infrastructure. On top of that, she will set free 15 million euros to improve bottlenecks on regional roads, and 5 million euros for lighted crossings for cyclists and pedestrians. Another 8 million euros will be […]
February 22, 2022
The Brussels City Council has given the go-ahead to the new circulation plan for the capital’s Pentagon by a large majority. The new circulation plan aims to reduce transit traffic in the busy downtown districts and give pedestrians, cyclists, and public transport space. The intention of the alderman for Mobility Bart Dhondt’s plan is to […]
February 22, 2022
Brussels Minister of Mobility, Elke Van den Brandt (Groen), is happy with the results of the latest traffic safety barometer of traffic safety institute Vias. The number of road deaths in Brussels went down from 14 to 6, while Flanders registered an increase of 18%. “The ‘City 30′ project (30 kph speed limit in Brussels) […]
February 21, 2022
In 2021, Flanders registered 291 traffic fatalities, 45 (18%) more than in 2020. The figures come from traffic safety Intitue Vias’ most recent traffic safety barometer, developed in cooperation with the Federal Police. Vias earlier warned that Flanders had the highest number of traffic fatalities since 2016. Wallonia and Brussels, on the contrary, registered the […]
February 18, 2022
After just over a year of “Zone 30”, Brussels Mobility is launching a new road safety campaign to raise awareness of the need to respect the maximum speed limit. The new road safety campaign is a nod to cult horror films and warns drivers not to turn into monsters at the wheel, to remain relaxed […]
February 17, 2022
The Brussels Pentagon will become a low-traffic area as of 16 August. The city council has announced this. Less transit traffic should make the center more livable, accounting for no less than 42% of total traffic. The aim is to use loops, one-way streets, and traffic filters (which do not allow cars through) to ensure […]
February 15, 2022
The four traffic lanes for motorized vehicles at the Montgomery roundabout will be reduced to three. This was announced by Brussels Minister for Mobility, Elke Van den Brandt (Groen). The adjustment is part of new temporary development, while the final redevelopment of the site is discussed with the municipalities involved. The inner traffic lane of […]
