News

Coris News - July 2008

This month we turn our attention to the Czech Republic.

The Czech Republic has a total population of 10,325,000. The capital city is Prague, with a population of 1,940,000. The
landlocked Czech Republic joined the EU in 2004.

Hills and mountains cover about 95% of the country .

The Czech Republic produces world-famous beer as well as mineral water from more than 900 natural springs (a world
record). Wine is produced in the southern regions of Moravia and in part of Bohemia. Traditional dishes often include
"knedlíky", which is a type of dumplings made from potatoes or bread.

As throughout the EU there is compulsory insurance.

Minimum levels of insurance cover are as follows:

Personal Injury: 35M CZK (€1.3M) for each victim
Material Damages: 18M CZK (€690,000) for each single loss event

Only the 4th Directive is in force in the Czech Republic. Although the Multi-Lateral Agreement and Internal Regulations
are not part of Czech law they are nevertheless binding on the Czech Bureau and its members.

Liability

In Czech law there is strict liability for damage caused by motor vehicles 
 
Police attendance is often required when the material damage is deemed to exceed 50.000,- CZK and there is personal
injury.

Limitation

For claims against a responsible party the limitation period is from two years after the date on which the injured party
became aware of the nature of the damage and the person causing the damage. For material damage claims there is a
three year limitation period.

For case of claims against an insurer or the local bureau, for both material damage and personal injury claims, the
limitation period is four years after the accident date.

Guarantee Fund

The Guarantee Fund compensates third party victims in the following
cases:

when the damage is caused by an untraced vehicle the Fund
covers only personal injury.
ii ) when the damage is caused by an uninsured vehicle, the Fund covers material damages (over CZK 5000) and personal injury.

Legal Costs

Costs follow the event and a litigant will normally recover his costs.

General

Hire for professional reasons and depreciation of value are generally
recoverable. Loss of use is not.

Cross Border Safety

Increased driving between countries is leading to more collisions throughout Europe, according to a report published by the Association of British Insurers.
 
The ABI, working with a coalition of motoring and road safety groups, has developed proposals to tackle the problem. These include better guidance for motorists on road traffic laws in different countries, greater information sharing between countries to enable tighter enforcement, and a review of licensing standards throughout the European Union.
 
Key findings from European Drivers - Crossing Borders Safely show that:
 
-         In the UK over 18,000 collisions a year are caused by drivers coming from continental Europe. European heavy goods vehicles are three times more likely to be involved in an accident than UK HGVs.
-         Britons driving in continental Europe caused over 5,000 accidents in 2006.
-         In Switzerland, cross-border drivers commit half of all traffic offences.
-         In France, cross-border drivers are responsible for a quarter of all traffic offences in border areas, and 15% of accidents throughout the country.
 
Stephen Haddrill, the ABI's Director General, said:
 
"Greater movement throughout Europe must not mean more dangerous roads. With 45 major differences in the road laws between Member States, it is hardly surprising that cross-border driving is leading to more collisions. Our proposals focus on better information sharing and law enforcement. We call on the UK Government and the European Commission to recognise the scale of the problem and build on the first steps they have taken to ensure that drivers can travel more safely throughout Europe."
Source: The Association of British Insurers

SPEED LIMIT ON GERMAN AUTOBAHNS?
It has been described as being as sacred to the Germans as sumo wrestling is to the Japanese or saunas to the Swedish. But the tradition of having no speed limit on Germany's autobahns is under threat. The Social Democrats, junior partners in the grand coalition of Chancellor Angela Merkel, say the introduction of a speed limit would reduce both CO2 emissions and the accident rate.

More than half of Germany's 7,600-mile autobahn network has no speed limit, and environmentalists have welcomed the idea of imposing a top speed of 130 kilometres per hour (80mph). But the powerful car lobby is vehemently opposed to the plan.

The SPD used environmental experts to argue that a limit of 120 or 130kph could reduce CO2 emissions by 9% or more. "A blanket limit of 130kph would be a quick and unbureaucratic way in which to increase climate protection," said the SPD chairman, Kurt Beck.
Source: The Guardian

'DIRTY LORRY' ENTRY CHARGE

Owners of the worst polluting lorries, buses and coaches that fail to meet EU pollution standards will have to pay £200 to enter London.
The capital's new Low Emission Zone will be enforced using fixed and mobile cameras that will read number plates in the zone and check them against a database of registered vehicles that meet the emissions standards, have paid the daily charge, or are exempt.
Transport for London (TfL) predicts the system, the first of its kind in the UK, will mean better air quality for 170,000 Londoners. Green groups have welcomed the charge, but the freight industry warned small operators would be driven out of business.
"TfL predicts that around 12,500 vehicles out of the 120,000 lorries and buses that use London roads will be affected. The zone does not apply to cars or motorcycles.
Source: The Guardian

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