The functioning of the e-call system in Poland compared to other European Union member states

Abstract

PURPOSE: Increasing the safety of road transport is among important priorities of the European Commission's strategic operations. The implementation of the project of the Europe-wide e-Call in-vehicle emergency call system is an essential measure for achieving the objectives pursued in this respect. This paper presents general characteristics of that system, and its cooperation with the emergency notification system based on the Europe-wide emergency number 112. The author also presents a diagnosis of the use of the e-Call system, which sends information about help requests to emergency notification centres across the Republic of Poland and other European countries. During the research, the author used a method of source analysis based on source materials, including mainly legal acts and the academic literature. The research process relied extensively on synthesis, comparison, generalisation, reasoning, and abstraction.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The research was conducted with a method of source analysis based on source materials, including mainly legal acts and academic literature.

FINDINGS: The research analysis demonstrated that the e-Call system has a significant impact on the transmission of information about occurrences under current conditions, in particular the necessity to continue the implementation of solutions that ensure appropriate and fast transmission of information about occurrences. Due to the category of safety hazards in transport, the desired solutions apply to Poland and the entire European Union.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The issues discussed in this paper can help raise the awareness of users of the system regarding prompt transmission of information about occurrences and raise interest of various public bodies in further improvements of the system.

ORIGINALITY: This paper discusses issues which now are particularly important to individual citizens and various bodies responsible for security, whatever their role in the society.