The health crisis has particularly negative consequences on the behavior of users of soft mobility such as cycling, electric scooters or hoverboards.
All of the risky behaviors have worsened.
"Telephone, alcohol, drugs: scooters even take all the risks
", worries AXA Prévention in its 17th barometer devoted to the attitude of the French on the roads.
Read also: How the authorities stemmed the scooter rodeos on the Champs-Élysées
The increasingly important use of these modes of transport, to escape public transport and protect themselves from the virus, has been accompanied by a real carelessness.
AXA Prévention particularly pinpoints scooters,
"whether they own or adhere to self-service"
by speaking of
"alarming behavior"
.
The people questioned seem, in fact, to care very little about the rules reserved for personal motorized transport vehicles (EDPM).
40% of them say they do not know them precisely and
“25% have never even heard of them”
.
They are still 8 in 10 to drive on the sidewalks whereas it is now prohibited and 59% of them admit to passing next to pedestrians at high speed.
One in two scooter riders admit to driving while intoxicated
French scooter enthusiasts seem to be taking advantage of the Covid-19 epidemic to overcome all the rules.
78% of them say they make phone calls while driving, 23 points more than in January 2020. 72% admit to sending or consulting text messages while driving, and that's 25 points more than before the Covid.
65% say they still consult social networks, which is an increase of 19 points.
Read also: An electric scooter flashed at 57 km / h, the driver was wearing headphones and had smoked cannabis
As for alcohol, 49% drive after having had more than two glasses of alcoholic beverage, and this is twice as much as among motorists.
Regarding narcotics, 45% of users take the handlebars of their scooters after consuming illicit products (cannabis or others), against only 2% of motorists.
For Eric Lemaire, president of the AXA Prévention association,
“the challenge today is to make these journeys safer, by developing and emphasizing preventive messages that are intelligible and easily accessible so that these new users can move safely, for themselves and for others ”
.
On the contrary, motorists have calmed down
Conversely, the health crisis had beneficial effects on the motorist at the wheel by
"causing an awakening of consciousness on the importance of staying alive"
, indicates the study.
The AXA Barometer thus reveals
"good progress among motorists with 53% of good drivers, or 6 points more compared to 2019"
.
The Covid has thus made the motorist more careful and more concerned about others.
In the city, for example, 27% drive at 65 km / h on average and it is three points less than in 2019.
“This is the lowest rate recorded in the barometer for 17 years”
, underlines t -on at Axa Prévention.
The only downside: the French do not manage to put their smartphone aside when they are driving.
They are, in fact, 69% to use it while driving and it is only one point less than in 2019.