Speeding, forgetting the flashing or sending messages while driving: the French continue to behave dangerously behind the wheel despite a slight improvement, according to the annual barometer of the Vinci Autoroutes foundation published Wednesday.
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91% say they exceed speed limits
Questioned by Ipsos before confinement, the French (Corsicans excepted) are thus 91% to say exceed, if only rarely, speed limits (-1 point compared to 2019), 72% to not respect distances of security (-4), 57% to forget to put their flashing to double or change direction (-4) or 27% (-1) to send an email or a message while driving.
Of the 14 indicators listing dangerous driving behaviors, only three are on the rise, including forgetting the seat belt (10%, +2) and traffic on the highway emergency stop lane (4%, +1). "There is always a very high number of behaviors that are really dangerous and too numerous to expect a real gain in terms of safety," said Bernadette Moreau, general delegate of the Vinci Autoroutes foundation.
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In addition, 74% of French people take their eyes off the road for at least two seconds, an indicator that had not been measured last year. During this time, a car launched at 130 km / h travels 80 meters, according to the foundation.
The stern look of the French on their peers
The French, on the other hand, take a more severe look at their behavior or that of others: 20% (+2) cite at least one negative adjective about their attitude behind the wheel (irresponsible, dangerous, stressed or aggressive), and 89% (+4 ) on that of their peers. "Even if drivers may be more lucid about their own driving, they tend to judge that they are driving well, and to be more severe with others," said Bernadette Moreau.
They are just as afraid as last year of the aggressive behavior of another driver (87%), whom they insult more (70%, +1) and with whom they explain themselves more, for a dispute, when they leave. of their car (18%, +2). This survey was carried out on a sample of 2,400 French people aged 16 and over, interviewed by internet from February 28 to March 9.