Vooruit lashes out at sister party PS after blocking driving license with points, but it does not accept criticism: “Unacceptable” | Interior

The Vivaldi government agreed in the coalition agreement to have a study carried out into the effect of a driver’s license with points on safety. The results are positive, but two of the seven governing parties are not overflowing with enthusiasm. A government memorandum that Het Nieuwsblad was able to view shows that PS and MR have made a joint counter-proposal. According to the newspaper, a package of measures revolves around four ‘axis’: a database of offenders, increasing the chance of being caught, raising awareness among motorists and increasing penalties.

Member of Parliament and traffic specialist from Vooruit, Joris Vandenbroucke, speaks plainly of “very cynical sabotage politics” and spoke in De Morgen on Radio 1 on Wednesday morning about “a political game at the expense of human lives”.

“So people are dying on the road, avoidable deaths, because they refuse to take measures to improve road safety,” he says. “There are 500 deaths and 55,000 injuries in our country every year. We have made agreements to address that. MR and PS must respect those agreements.”

Vandenbroucke will raise the issue in the House and there is also a bill ready from Member of Parliament Jef Van den Bergh (CD&V). “PS and MR should now publicly explain why they are blocking such a measure and why they do not have the courage to implement agreements made,” says Vandenbroucke.

Van den Bergh says in response that he hopes Vooruit will succeed in convincing its sister party PS. “That would be a big step. The scientific evidence on the usefulness of the driver’s license with points is unequivocal. It has yet to be introduced this legislature. To procrastinate any longer would be guilty negligence towards any traffic victim.”

PS chairman Paul Magnette is already there not amused about the criticism of the Flemish socialists. “Vandenbroucke’s comments are unacceptable,” it sounds in a hefty tweet. “Everyone agrees that road safety needs to be improved, but a driver’s license with points is not the solution. We want fines that are more effective and fair.”

Opposition party N-VA is now proposing a switch majority. “If the file is put on the agenda through a legislative proposal, we will enter into the debate constructively and with an open mind. And if a good proposal convinces us, we are happy to offer a switch majority that frees us from this community hold,” said Member of Parliament Wouter Raskin.

Flemish Minister of Mobility Lydia Peeters (Open VLD) says in response that she regrets the political sparring “around an initiative that undeniably represents an important added value for increasing road safety”. Peeters calls on everyone to let common sense prevail and to reflect on the suffering that road safety causes for relatives and victims during this discussion. “This is about people, not numbers. The points driver’s license is the ideal approach for persistent offenders and we absolutely need to work on this as a matter of urgency.”