A ROAD safety report has called for car manufacturers to put more emphasis on crash protection for pedestrians and cyclists in their vehicle design. This recommendation was contained in a report by the European Transport Safety Council.

It showed that every year more than 9,000 pedestrians and cyclists are killed in EU countries - most of them children or older road users. The report calls for a new EU directive on safer car fronts and for more funding for the Euro NCAP consumer information programme so as many new cars as possible are tested.