EU wants life-saver tests on cars, motorbikes

Bent on saving hundreds of lives lost on Europe's roads each year due to faulty vehicles and motorbikes, the EU will call for tougher technical tests in proposals to be unveiled Friday.

"Five people die on Europe's roads every day in accidents linked to technical faults," said European Commission spokeswoman Pia Ahrenkilde Hansen, announcing new rules Friday to toughen up and widen out testing regulations.

A key suggestion will be to extend regular vehicle checks across the European Union to two- and three-wheel vehicles, not the case in a number of countries -- Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Malta, the Netherlands, Portugal and Romania.

The EU executive will call for vehicles to undergo a first technical test after four years, with a second at six and yearly checks subsequently for vehicles over six years old.