If economic activity had not slowed down in April, that most of the French had not stayed at home because of Covid-19, the figures released this Friday May 15 by Road Safety would be the best ever For years.
But if France experienced a historically low month of driving mortality in April, with 103 road fatalities (against 233 in April 2019, a decrease of 56%), these figures are obviously misleading. eye. Admittedly, the number of bodily injuries also fell by 74% (with 1,099 bodily injuries against 4,234 in April 2019) and 1,247 people injured against 5,297 in April 2019.
"This result could have been better"
But the fact is that car traffic dropped dramatically during the confinement period. Already in March, Road Safety had recorded 154 road deaths, 101 fewer victims than the previous year. "This result could have been better if some had not let off steam by dropping the horses on deserted roads," said the president of the League against road violence Chantal Perrichon.
"Since the start of the containment period (March 17), traffic has dropped by 60% but the number of major speeding tickets has jumped 16.3%," she added. Records have even been broken in certain regions, as confirmed by a prefect from the south of France. "A motorist was flashed at 250 km / h and we deplored two deaths in a car where the occupants had been drinking and were not tied," he explains.
At the end of April, three young people were also killed on the Paris ring road in the middle of the night, when the axis was almost deserted. Again, excessive speed was involved. "On Wednesday April 22 on the A104, near Chelles (Seine-et-Marne), the police on motorbikes intercepted fifteen cars in just 15 minutes," continues the League against road violence. The police only arrested those who exceeded more than 60 km / h the authorized speed. In one hour, six driving licenses were thus withdrawn ”.
"No more loss of vehicle checks alone"
"Many motorists have taken more freedom on much less frequented roads," said Colonel Laurent Collorig, head of division within the gendarmerie unit responsible for fighting road insecurity. “During confinement, some have adopted risky behaviors and / or have adopted bad traffic habits, in particular regarding speed,” adds road safety. At the same time, hospitals have also seen the share of road accident victims increase in their services in recent weeks. "
By observing the circumstances of fatal accidents under a magnifying glass compared to a classic month, Road Safety found “comparatively less frontal impacts (with fewer vehicles on the roads, the probability of crossing them in front is reduced) but more loss of control of single vehicles (which end on lateral obstacles, trees, low walls or on the roof after several barrels) ".
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Monday, May 11, to mark the first day of deconfinement, she launched a campaign broadcast on television and radio where she calls on drivers to strictly respect the rules. An essential booster shot, according to the authorities, who fear that the slackening of behavior during the deconfinement will continue.