In April 2024, 242 people lost their lives on the roads of mainland France, an increase of 9% compared to the same month last year, Road Safety announced in a press release on Thursday.
The number of seriously injured (1,285) also increased by 6% compared to April 2023, according to estimates by the National Interministerial Observatory for Road Safety (ONISR).
“Strong increase” in motorized two-wheeled vehicles
Road Safety highlights the “strong increase” in deaths of users of motorized two-wheeled vehicles with 71 deaths, or 24 more compared to April 2023.
Among these users of motorized two-wheeled vehicles, “the number of deaths is increasing, especially among young people aged 14 to 17 and 18 to 24 years old,” the road safety statement underlines.
Alarming figures for “soft modes”
We also observed an increase in the number of deaths among pedestrians, with 32 deaths (+9 deaths compared to April 2023) and cyclists, with 18 deaths (+5 deaths), “especially outside urban areas,” says the ONISR.
In EDPMs (motorized personal transport vehicles), such as electric scooters, road safety warns of a sharp increase in mortality, 42 people in the last 12 months, or 31% more than the previous 12 months.
The number of seriously injured EDPM users also continues to rise, with more than 600 cases recorded in the last 12 months, a 4% increase compared to the previous 12 months.
“For sharing the path peacefully”
Given these increases, the interministerial delegate for Road Safety, Florence Guillaume, recalls the “vulnerability” of “non-vehicle users” who she invites to be “cautious, be well equipped and take advantage of the numerous awareness-raising operations that will be carried out before the resumption”. of handlebars carried out in the departments by the police and the associations”.
It also asks “vehicle users to pay special attention to other users to share the road peacefully and responsibly.”
In general terms, mortality in the last 12 months remains quite stable, with an increase of 1% compared to the previous 12 months. It even seems to have dropped 7% compared to 2019, the year taken as a reference for the 2020-2030 decade.
Abroad, the number of victims is also increasing, with 290 accidents with injuries (+14% compared to April 2023). But the press release reports a decrease in the number of deaths of 52% compared to April 2023, with 13 deaths.
Source: BFM TV
