In view of the number of deaths, “we really have to ask the question about the obligation to wear a helmet” on a bicycle, believes Christophe Ramond, spokesperson for the Prévention Routière association.
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The increase in road fatalities is “a trend for 9 months, with particular concern for cyclists”, explained Tuesday June 21 on franceinfo Christophe Ramond, spokesperson for the association Prévention Routière. A total of 293 people died in May on the roads of mainland France, up 21% compared to the same month in 2019.
franceinfo: Is this increase a trend?
Christopher Raymond: This is a trend that has been observed for about nine months, since the summer of 2021, with a very strong recovery in traffic. The number of accidents concerns absolutely everyone, all age categories, modes of road use. There is a particular concern for cyclists whose number of accidents has exploded and also young people, teenagers and children. We have a level of mortality in these age groups which is higher than before the Covid.
Do you think that the fines should be abolished in the event of minor speeding, less than 5 km/h above the authorized speed?
This measure should absolutely not be called into question, there are no minor speeding violations on the road. We see it in all the experiments that we have been able to carry out, an extra kilometer hour on the road means 4% more deaths.
“As soon as we allow road users to go a little faster, accidents are a little more serious and we have more people killed. We really have to keep the pressure on the drivers.”
Christophe Ramond, spokesperson for the Prévention Routière associationat franceinfo
Cyclists are much more affected than before. Should the wearing of helmets be regulated?
We no longer circulate in the same way. About 4 out of 10 French people tell us they want to travel differently, use the car a little less in favor of cycling or walking. Inflation is likely to accentuate this phenomenon and therefore we have people on the road who are more vulnerable. Serious head injuries on a bicycle or electric scooter are really the first source of death. Wearing a helmet reduces the risk of a serious head injury by 70%. We believe that you really have to ask yourself the question about your obligation.