INVESTIGATION
The easing was claimed by many elected officials, but it could be more complicated than expected to implement. While the draft law mobilities must be definitively voted soon, the text should allow a relaxation of the polemic speed limit at 80 km / h on secondary roads. But, according to information from Europe 1, half of the 95 metropolitan departments will not return fully to 90 km / h while a dozen departments have even waived any change in speed.
The presidents of departments interviewed by Europe 1 recognize it: the easing of the measure, though unpopular, is very complicated. First, it will take the opinion of the departmental security commission, which depends on the prefecture, and which will be based on reports accidentology. In addition, according to the recommendations of the Road Safety, bus stops or tractor passes are "not compatible with a derogation to 80 km / h". In other words, in rural areas, contraindications will be frequent.
INTERVIEW - 80 km / h: "It was not a bad measure, but it suffered from its implementation
Finally, department presidents want to see what their neighbors are doing. Roads cross several departments, and elected officials hope harmonization of flexibility to avoid inadvertent speed changes on the same road.
"It was necessary to twist the arm to the government"
About thirty departments still want to return to 90 km / h on a maximum of roads, as the president of the Allier Claude Riboulet. "Do not lie to yourself, do everything you can to prevent us from coming back to the 90 km / h and try to dissuade us, it's a reality," said the elected, against the government. "It was necessary to twist the arm to the government to accept to allow us to derogate but it will obviously not be to facilitate our life".
Another difficulty: the cost. If flexibilities are possible, the national rule will remain the limit at 80 km / h. Thus, on the roads concerned by the derogations, it will be necessary to add limitation signs to 90. The president of Ain, Jean Deguerry, has made his accounts: for its 4,500 km of roads, it would cost him 1,400,000 euros. In his department, the limitation to 90 will concern just a few sections.
The fear of complaints from victims' families
Fifty elected officials therefore consider, as the president of the Ain, a return to 90 km / h "margin". The president of Loir-et-Cher, for example, plans a relaxation on the most secure axes, or 15% of the network. In Charente-Maritime, ditto, a large part of the roads will remain at 80 km / h, while the most dangerous sections will even go to 70.
Finally, a dozen presidents of departments give up altogether to any return to a limitation at 90 km / h. Because the government made them understand that in case of accidents, they will be the only ones responsible. Thus, some fear to be sued by families. In the Morbihan, for example, no road will go back to 90 km / h. "I see myself badly put a section at 90 km / h and have a fatal accident in the following weeks," said the microphone of Europe 1 Francois Goulard, the chairman of the County Council. "I think those who will do this will be quite embarrassed.The higher the speed, the more serious the accidents are.It is a responsibility that I will not resume in a personal capacity," he argues.