Question 15290 — road safety

Summary

Mr. Pierre-Yves Cadalen draws the attention of the Minister of the Interior to the consequences of the differentiated application of the speed limit of 80km/h on secondary roads as well as to the social determinants of road mortality. Implemented in July 2018 on two-way roads without a central separator, this measure aimed to reduce the number of fatal accidents. According to road safety figures, moving to 80 km/h would have avoided around 349 deaths between July 2018 and July 2020, with a drop in mortality on the roads concerned estimated at nearly 12%. If these results reflect a real improvement in road safety, this reform nevertheless continues to raise many questions among users. Indeed, since 2019, departments can reestablish the limit of 90 km/h on certain sections of road. This situation now leads to a differentiated application of the rule depending on the territory. Thus, sometimes very similar roads can be limited to 80km/h in one department and 90km/h in another. Many drivers also believe that these changes in limits from one territory to another contribute to a form of confusion and additional stress while driving. Furthermore, several trade union organizations and prevention associations point out that road deaths cannot be explained by the question of speed alone. Working and living conditions also play an important role in road accidents. Night work, staggered hours, long home-work distances, accumulated fatigue and even job insecurity are all aggravating factors. Some employees are thus forced to make long journeys every day after particularly grueling work days, increasing the risks linked to drowsiness and loss of vigilance while driving. In rural areas in particular, the distance from public services, the closure of certain local services and the reduction in public transport are forcing many workers to increase their travel by car, sometimes under conditions of significant exhaustion. He therefore questions him on the updated assessment of the effects of the increase to 80 km/h on road fatalities as well as on the measures envisaged in order to guarantee greater consistency of speed limits on the national territory and better consideration of the social and professional factors contributing to road accidents.

Machine translation from French. The official text remains authoritative.

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