Road safety: 80% of French people use their phone while driving

Solène Leroux 07:05, April 05, 2022

This is a sad new record.

More than 80% of French drivers admit to using their phone while driving their car, i.e. 11 points more than in 2021. This is one of the lessons of the 18th AXA Prevention barometer on the behavior of French people on the road.

If in 2021 dangerous attitudes seemed less numerous, they are back in force this year.

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"It's expensive, it vaccinated me"

Some use it for GPS, others for music, or to answer calls.

Ahmed is very often driving his black van for his work.

The 30-year-old admits to using his phone to respond to messages, or even hanging out on social networks.

For him, it's generational.

"We are in 2022 anyway. Social networks work well, so I think it's a fad," he says at the microphone of Europe 1.

Like him, 24% of French people consult their social networks in the car.

A minority, 8%, publish stories from their steering wheel.

As a reminder, using your phone in the car costs three points on your license and a fine of 135 euros.

What dissuade Jocelyne, sitting in her small city car, and nose screwed on her phone.

The retiree swears: now, when she drives, she no longer touches it.

"I was taken twice," she recalls.

"It's expensive, it vaccinated me, but rightly so!"

15% send business emails while driving

Same choice on Olivier's side, but this time for security reasons.

“I was commercial for 40 years,” explains the retiree.

"I was particularly vigilant on this because you quickly realize that as soon as you are no longer attentive to your route, you quickly go from one side or the other."

The ex-commercial therefore joins the club of those ensuring never to pick up their phone again.

They are fewer and fewer over the years: in five years, the number of addicted drivers on the phone has increased by 14 points.

Another lesson from the barometer: the telephone while driving is now used to send professional emails for 15% of them, and 6% take part in work meetings, i.e. twice as many as in 2021.