Speeding, forgetting the flashing or sending messages while driving: the French continue to behave dangerously behind the wheel despite a slight improvement, according to the annual barometer of the Vinci Autoroutes foundation published Wednesday. Questioned by Ipsos before confinement, the French (Corsicans excepted) are thus 91% to say exceed - even if only rarely - speed limits (-1 point compared to 2019), 72% to not respect the distances of security (-4), 57% to forget to put their flashing to double or change direction (-4) or 27% (-1) to send an email or a message while driving.
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Of the fourteen indicators listing dangerous driving behaviors, only three are on the rise, including forgetting the seat belt (10%, +2) and traffic on the highway emergency stop lane (4%, +1). "There is always a very high number of behaviors that are really dangerous and too numerous to hope for a real gain in terms of safety" , declared to AFP Bernadette Moreau, general delegate of the Vinci Autoroutes foundation. In addition, 74% of French people take their eyes off the road for at least two seconds, an indicator that had not been measured last year. During this time, a car launched at 130 km / hour travels 80 meters, according to the foundation.
The French, on the other hand, take a more severe look at their conduct or that of others: 20% (+2) cite at least one negative adjective about their attitude behind the wheel (irresponsible, dangerous, stressed or aggressive), and 89% (+4 ) on that of their peers. "Even if drivers may be more lucid about their own driving, they tend to judge that they are driving well, and to be more severe with others," said Bernadette Moreau. They are just as afraid as last year of the aggressive behavior of another driver (87%), whom they insult more (70%, +1) and with whom they explain themselves more, for a dispute, when they leave. of their car (18%, +2).
"Nervous, impulsive or aggressive"
The French, on the other hand, honked less (56%, -3) or doubled to the right on the highway (18%, -4), but as much deliberately stuck the front car (34%). This action is most often carried out by Bretons (39%). On the other hand, they leave first place in almost all the other categories to Ile-de-France residents, who declare much more than the average (28% against 20%) to be driving more "nervous impulsive or aggressive" than in everyday life. The inhabitants of Ile-de-France, the most populated region, are also the champions of the horn (67%) and of insult (81%, +12 compared to 2016), while the inhabitants of the Pays de la Loire is the least likely to launch bird names (62%). "We note, in the Paris region, an 'over-demand' of driving in very dense traffic, which makes it a little more difficult to stay calm and zen," comments Bernadette Moreau.
The Greeks won them the prize at the European level, in particular in the classification of incivilities, generally dominated by the Mediterranean countries. The Greeks stick the car the most in front of them (47%) and most often swear on par with the French (70%), while the Spaniards are at the top of the ranking of horns (66%). Those who double most to the right on the highway are the Dutch (48%), while the Poles get out of their car the most for a dispute (37%).
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The Swedes, good pupils (like the Dutch) in several categories, are on the other hand the champions of exceeding the speed limit (92%) and the non-compliance with safety distances (74%). They are also the most likely to take their eyes off the road for at least two seconds (88%). The French survey was carried out on a sample of 2,400 French people aged 16 and over, interviewed by internet from February 28 to March 9.
