A total of 2,947 people died on the roads of mainland France in 2021, a toll down 9% compared to 2019, before the pandemic, Road Safety announced on Monday in a press release.
In 2020, 2,550 people had lost their lives, which corresponded to the lowest level since the post-war period, under the effect of the reduction in circulation caused by the health crisis.
In 2021, the number of deaths remains below the symbolic bar of 3,000.
But "road traffic seems to have returned to a level close to that of the pre-crisis in 2021" and, for the first time in 20 years, the number of cyclists killed exceeded 200 and the number of users of electric scooters died ( 22) more than doubled compared to 2019.
Falling road fatalities for motorists
In its provisional report published on Monday, the National Interministerial Observatory for Road Safety (ONISR) underlines that the curfew introduced in 2021 and the closure of nightclubs in the first half of the year, among other things, "have been able to limit travel, particularly festive night trips" .
Teleworking could also “influence exposure to risk”.
Road mortality is down in 2021 for motorists (1,411 killed) as well as for users of motorized two-wheelers (670 deaths).
On the other hand, the results are less positive on the side of cyclists.
Their mortality on the roads has increased sharply with 226 people dying in 2021 (i.e. 39 more than in 2019, 48 more than in 2020).
New mobilities emerging… even in deaths
“This increase is more marked outside urban areas (+35% in 2021 compared to two years earlier) where the high speeds of motorized users make cyclists more vulnerable”, notes ONISR.
These figures are partly explained by the enthusiasm for cycling recorded since the pandemic in France.
According to figures published in early January by Vélos & Territoires, cycling traffic in 2021 followed the trend started in 2020 with an increase in urban areas of 31% in recorded passages compared to 2019. Another particularity noted by Road Safety and a sign of a change in modes of transport: the mortality of electric scooter users is rising sharply with 22 deaths recorded last year, compared to 10 in 2019 and seven in 2020.
In the overseas territories, 296 people died on the roads, an increase of 8% compared to 2019. In detail, 182 people were killed in the overseas departments, 92 in the overseas communities -sea and New Caledonia.
Society
Road safety: "A form of hedonism", or the impossible obligation to wear a bicycle helmet
Society
Road safety: 770,000 people drive without a driving license in France
Car
Road accident
Society
Road safety
0 comment
0 share
Share on Messenger
Share on Facebook
Share on Twitter
Share on Flipboard
Share on Pinterest
Share on Linkedin
Send by Mail
To safeguard
A fault ?
To print