Further increase in road deaths in 2015 – Le Figaro

COMPUTER GRAPHICS – For the first time in 35 years, deaths on French roads has increased for two consecutive years despite a range of measures taken by the government in 2015 to fight against this scourge

Sad new record. Deaths on French roads has increased for two consecutive years: in 2014 and in 2015. A first for 35 years, in spite of several measures announced by the government. Mortality is “up 2.4% with 3464 people killed” last year, said the interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, in an interview to be published Wednesday in Le Parisien . In 2014, the record was already dark. After twelve years of decline, the Road Safety had already registered an increase of + 3.5% over 2013, 3384 fatalities. The government is committed to pass below the 2,000 deaths by 2020.

“speed on releasing Too”

Why this sinister rise? For Bernard Cazeneuve, “this assessment is to be compared with a 2.5% increase of traffic recorded on national and highways. It also reflects an increase in certain risk behaviors that transform into a serious accident fatalities, “says minister Paris . One of the main causes are “excessive speed”. According to the minister, there is “too much laxity” on the part of drivers. “This behavior is irresponsible and may be criminals!” He complains. “25% of fatal accidents in the first ten months of the year were the main cause for excessive or inappropriate speed.” Another cause accident-prone: the addictive behavior. “This is the second consecutive year of increase of the drug factor, which is involved in 25% of fatal accidents,” the minister said.

In terms of road safety measures taken were nevertheless in many 2015: the lowering of 0.5 g / l to 0.2 g / l of BAC for novice drivers; the possibility for mayors to lower the rate on all or part of their urban area to 30 km / h; the modernization of radars 4200 Park; or the ban on wearing the headset while driving. The State had also started experimenting on three sections of the reduction from 90 to 80 km / h the speed limit or salivary tests in 11 departments to detect drug driving.

” In reality, nothing has been done “

” The government is taking steps all-out to give the impression of acting. In total, in 2015, 81 measures were announced. But in reality nothing has been done. It is normal to see an increase in accident rates on the roads “condemns with the Le Figaro the president of the League against road violence, Chantal Perrichon. “It’s dramatic and it demonstrates the government’s lack of political courage!” Protested this militant. “Recall that road mortality is the leading cause of death on the road for the youth and the world of work.”

To fight against speeding, president of the League against road violence asks the government to include “speed limit 80 km / h on roads with two-way free line.” A measure that could, she said, “to save 400 lives a year.” The speed cameras are no longer sufficient either, she believes, as the government plans to increase their number to reach 4,700 within three years. “We must multiply board radars. We have only 400 while the British have 8,000. “Against drinking and driving, it also calls for the compulsory alcohol interlock.

Many more temperate, Chasseray Pierre, executive director of the association “40 million motorists’ view that this increased mortality on roads is” mechanical “. “In 2012 and 2013, we experienced extremely sharp falls, inevitably there could be an increase in the recovery,” told AFP the defender drivers who emphasizes “improved behavior on the roads.” For, Indeed, if the road deaths increased in 2015, by contrast, “the number of injury crashes decreased by 3.6%,” said Minister of the Interior.