The pileup happened on the 2×2 lanes, La Roche-sur-Yon-Les Sables d’olonne. – Jean-Francois Monier/AFP
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In the aftermath of the terrible pile-up that had five dead and twenty injured on Tuesday on the fast track RD 160 between les Sables-d’olonne and La Roche-sur-Yon in the Vendée, the fog is always the factor preferred by the investigators to explain the cause of the tragedy.

” there was a fog to cut with a knife, the first witnesses reported a veritable wall of fog. It is without doubt one of the first origins of the accident but all that remains to be seen, ” said the evening Herve Lollic, the chief prosecutor of the Republic of La Roche-sur-Yon.

>> also read : VIDEO. Vendée: What we know about the huge pile-up occurred on Tuesday morning

A version refuted by some professionals in the conduct which rather put into question the behaviour of motorists. “It is the excessive speed of some and the non-observance of safety distances that are at the origin of this drama and not the fog,” says Peter Heel, president of the national Federation of teachers of the conduct (Fnec). “If everyone followed the rules, the balance sheet would not have been as dramatic,” he continued.

The speed is limited to 50 on all axes in case of mist

The tragedy occurred Tuesday in the Vendée, therefore, puts into light the lack of awareness of the regulation among some motorists. In the case of fog and when visibility is less than 50 metres, “the speed limit is 50 km/h on all axes, even the highways,” explains Nicolas Boisseau, managing director of the driving school on Erasmus in Rennes. The safety distance to be respected should be in this case of 50 metres at least. “But, in fact, no one adheres to it “, accuses Nicolas Bushel.

>> read also : Accident in the Vendée: “I’ve seen things that should not see,” says a witness

which Entered into force in may 2016, the new review of the highway code insists on more than the previous on the concept of safety distance and braking. “If you drive at 50 km/h, it takes 25 feet to stop on dry soil and 35 metres on a wet floor. 80 km/h, it is 70 metres to stop, this is clearly changing the game “, recalls Peter’s Heel.

Switch on the low beam and fog

another important point in case of fog on lighting. “It is necessary to turn on consistently low beam and fog,” insists Nicolas Bushel. It is, however, strictly not recommended to turn on his high beam lights. “This is going to cause a mirror effect that will dazzle the driver “.

All of the points on which the manager of the driving school has put particular emphasis with these students the past few days in Rennes, where the fog was especially thick. “But fog or no fog, it is the regulation that must be respected. And a lot of drivers would need a refresher “, provides Stone Heel.

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