" A worrying dynamic ": inattention was, in 2019, the cause of one fatal accident on the motorway in five, a share which has almost doubled in two years, according to the annual report of the Association of French companies of highways (ASFA) published Friday July 24, the beginning of a weekend of great departures on vacation.
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Despite tragedies such as the accident on the A7 which claimed the lives of five children on Monday evening, motorways remain by far the safest road network: out of 3,244 road victims in mainland France last year, according to Road Safety, 154 died on conceded motorways (three less than in 2018) according to figures from ASFA, which brings together the private concessionaires managing 9,180 of the 12,000 kilometers of French motorways.
20% of fatal accidents due to inattention
That is 1.49 fatal accidents for a billion kilometers traveled (1.55 in 2018), a rate more than halved since 2000. Some 20% of fatal accidents were caused by inattention, which becomes the third factor behind alcohol, drugs and medication on the one hand (21%), and drowsiness and fatigue on the other hand (21%), but now ahead of excessive speed (16%).
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Above all, its share has been steadily increasing for two years (11.3% in 2017, 13.6% in 2018) and, " which is especially boring, among the youngest " explains to AFP Christophe Boutin, general delegate of ASFA. “ This is a worrying dynamic and a factor that we fear will become even more important in the future, ” he adds. While they only represent 17% of motorway drivers, those under 35 are responsible for 35% of fatal accidents due to inattention, and the cause of 28% of all fatal accidents.
Screens, the " main cause " of accidents
Because they would no longer use their phones while driving? In any case, underlines Christophe Boutin, ASFA thinks that the use of screens is " the main cause " of accidents due to inattention. “ It's complicated because people, when they have an accident, don't spontaneously declare that they were on the phone, so we think that there is a strong under-reporting bias. But when we carry out a specific survey, we see that certain uses continue to increase, ”he argues.
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According to a Harris Interactive poll for ASFA also published on Friday, if the French interact less with screens - telephone or GPS - while driving than last year (65%, -7 points), those who do so adopt more dangerous. Thus, among phone users while driving, 71% answer with a hands-free kit (+14 pts), 57% consult their phone when they receive a notification (+12) and 42% answer or write a message while holding the phone. by hand.
“ Not only do you have to stay connected, but respond to requests immediately ,” notes Christophe Boutin, for whom “ sending an SMS totally mobilizes attention and takes at least 15 seconds, a period of time which we cover 500 meters at 130 km / h ”. However, these dangerous behaviors are particularly present among those under 35, who are eight in ten to interact with screens, that is to say 14 points more than the average, or 24% to keep their phone in hand while driving, against 3%. for those over 50.
