Well done motorists! In its latest annual report published on Wednesday, the Association of French Motorway Companies notes that the number of fatalities on the motorway network reached a historic low in 2021: 131, i.e. 23 fewer victims than in 2019, the last year reference. Because it is necessary to dismiss the year 2020 and its 127 deaths on the highway, because of the long weeks of confinement which distort the calculation.
Reported to traffic, 2021 is even the least deadly year for twenty years, “with 1.2 accidents per billion km travelled”, indicates this report. Intervention teams were also victims of 126 accidents in 2021 and 12 officers were injured. In terms of “could do better”, it should be noted that the consumption of alcohol, drugs and medication while driving has become between 2017 and 2021 the leading factor in fatal accidents (23%) ahead of drowsiness and fatigue (20 %), speed (18%) and distractors, such as the telephone (13%).
On the other hand, the year 2022 has started badly, with already 75 people killed on the motorways as of June 1, an increase of 46% over one year, explains ASFA General Delegate Christophe Boutin. “We see the progression of the drug, alcohol and medication factor, therefore of dangerous intentional behavior that is explained by a relaxation and it is very worrying”, he warns. Four agents have also been killed since the beginning of the year. These figures from Asfa, which brings together the private concessionaires managing 9,180 of the 12,000 kilometers of French motorways, match those of the entire metropolitan road network, which also recorded a lowest in 2021 with 2,944 deaths.