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The recent death of 5 volunteer firemen, (struck by a car travelling
at 90 mph) while attending a routine accident has provoked a national
crisis of conscience about the high level of road deaths in France,
the death toll having remained static at about 8,000 for the last
decade making France Europe’s 4th most dangerous country after
Greece, Portugal and Spain. A special inter-ministerial meeting
was held in December 2002 to consider new measures to improve
road safety, as President Jacques Chirac has declared that one
of the main priorities of his second term of office is to reduce
road deaths.
Road safety campaigners have long complained that traffic laws
are barely enforced in France. Under new proposals by the French
Government persistent or serious motoring offenders would have
their cars confiscated and the Government is also planning to
increase the number of points from 3 to 6 for those with a BAC
of between .05 and .08 and will enforce speed limits systematically
for the first time. Also stiffer fines and restrictions on licenses
are being proposed for the elderly and first-time motorists, who
would receive a license only after a 3 year probation period.
Associations welcome the promise of speed traps but note that
the great majority (more than 70% of road deaths) occur on relatively
small, rural roads. Sharon Nagel of La Journee Vinicole comments:
‘The government is definitely intent on tightening up on a whole
range of driving offences, including drink-driving. New proposals
have also been put forward by researchers at Inserm, these include
further restrictions on advertising and a lowering of BAC levels
for new and young drivers, although there has been no indication
that the Government intends to adopt these measures’. |
