More speed, less traffic, less fatalities

Due to the containment linked to Covid19, Road Safety statistics show a sharp drop in road fatalities in April 2020, with fewer people on the roads but greater speeding. Explanations.

The National Interministerial Road Safety Observatory (ONISR) estimates the number of road deaths at 103 people in April 2020 against 233 in April 2019, or 130 fewer deaths (-55.8%). Due to confinement, the other indicators are also down sharply: only 1,099 bodily accidents against 4,234 in April 2019 (-74%) and 1,247 injuries against 5,297 (-76.5%).

• MNC special file : All road safety reports
• MNC special file : 
• Deconfinement :

"The drop in road fatalities recorded in April 2020 is part of the context of confinement which greatly reduced all trips", underlines the official body, specifying that this drop concerns "all categories of users but to different degrees: a fall of two-thirds among vulnerable users (pedestrians, cyclists, and motorized two-wheelers) and less than half among motorists ".

The police and automatic radars would however have noted "a significant number of excessive speeding, with an increase of more than 16% compared to the same period in 2019", further notes the ONISR which observes "among fatal accidents fewer frontal collisions (with fewer vehicles on the road, the probability of crossing them in front is reduced) but more loss of control of single vehicles (which end in side obstacles, trees, low walls or on the roof after several barrels) ".

Asked by the Journal moto du Net, a motorcyclist commander of a road safety squadron at the National Gendarmerie confirms that he has observed "the return of risky behavior on the roads, in particular speeding exceeding 50 km / h".

"The mass return of road users is also accompanied by an increase in accidents, observed or not", continues the gendarme, while "concerning bikers, some frustrated put the gas and sometimes refuse to comply with controls, taking unnecessary risks for themselves and other users ".

While with the start of deconfinement on May 11, freedom of movement resurfaced, "more than ever is needed in order to avoid a massacre on the roads", he concludes..

Related articles

• Radars – Average speed is increasing … and the number of deaths is decreasing! –

  Average speed is increasing … and the number of deaths is falling ! According to Road Safety’s own figures, the average speed on roads and highways has…

• Radars – Against speed at 80 km-h, petitions are increasing –

  Against the speed of 80 km / h, petitions multiply Faced with the possible drop in speed on the roads to 80 km / h which would be in the boxes of the…

• Radars – The return to 90 km-h accelerated by the sharp increase in road fatalities in February 2019? –

  The return to 90 km / h accelerated by the sharp increase in road fatalities in February 2019 ? If 2018 had been marked by a drop in mortality, 2019…

• Radars – IRB of January 9: the government lowers the speed to 80 km-h on the roads –

  IRB of January 9: the government lowers the speed to 80 km / h on the roads It is now official: France limits the speed to 80 km / h on two-way roads…

• Speed ​​cameras – The number of bikers killed on the roads drops by 2% –

  The number of bikers killed on the roads drops by 2% The National Interministerial Road Safety Observatory (ONISR) reports a drop in road fatalities…

• Radars – The 80 km-h Evaluation Committee considers the reduction in speed to be unproductive –

  The 80 km / h evaluation committee considers lowering the speed unproductive While nearly 50 departments have reportedly raised the speed to 90 km / h on…

• Radars – Reduction in speed to 80 km-h: Edouard Philippe provides live after-sales service on Facebook! –

  Speed ​​reduction to 80 km / h: Edouard Philippe provides live after-sales service on Facebook ! Fervent defender of the drop in speed to 80 km / h that…

• Radars – Speed ​​limit at 80 km-h: what do motorcycle manufacturers think? – Pre-owned DUCATI HARLEY-DAVIDSON HONDA INDIAN KAWASAKI KTM MASH PEUGEOT ROYAL ENFIELD SUZUKI

  Speed ​​limit to 80 km / h: what do motorcycle manufacturers think ? The drop in the legal speed to 80 km / h instead of 90 on the French road network…

• Radars – Against the drop in speed to 80 km-h, the Senate is counting on your contributions! –

  Against the drop in speed to 80 km / h, the Senate is counting on your contributions ! The reduction in speed to 80 km / h on the roads planned by the…

• Radars – Manuel Valls wants to limit the roads to 80 km-h … –

  Manuel Valls wants to limit the roads to 80 km / h… After the ring road from 80 to 70 km / h, national and departmental roads could soon be limited to…