France: launch of a campaign to empower more and more cyclists

He is one of the winners of the Covid-19 pandemic: cycling, and its practice, which is exploding in the city, with the creation of many "coronapistes".

Christophe ARCHAMBAULT / AFP

Text by: RFI Follow

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He is one of the winners of the Covid-19 pandemic: cycling, and its practice, which is exploding in the city, with the creation of many "coronapistes".

But now, who says more cyclists, says, mechanically, more accidents.

Road Safety has launched a campaign in France to empower cyclists, but also motorists.

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Watch out for bikes, watch out for bikes, this is the name chosen by Road Safety for its new communication campaign.

Objective: to limit the progression of accidents involving cyclists.

197 of them died on the road last year, 7% more than in the previous 12 months.

This campaign therefore emphasizes the equipment of cyclists to protect them, in particular the wearing of helmets or the need to be seen by other road users, thanks to lights or even yellow vests.

But now, on the side of cycling associations, the operation of Road Safety has a bitter taste.

Of course, the number of accidents is increasing, but it is mathematical since the number of bicycles is also increasing even more rapidly.

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But above all, this campaign is criticized because it puts the blame on the weak user, it is up to the cyclist to protect themselves and not to others to pay attention and respect the highway code.

But according to statistics, bicycle accidents are above all due to the mistakes of other drivers, cyclists are responsible only once in five.

These are the Road Safety's own figures.

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