The creation of a “road homicide offence”, mentioned by Gérald Darmanin in February, is again mentioned. Elisabeth Borne will convene an interministerial road safety committee in July.
These last days, the fatal road accidents enamel the various facts with a common point: a driver under the influence of drugs. Three police officers died on Sunday May 21 in the North, a six-year-old girl was mowed down on Tuesday in Trappes (Yvelines), not to mention the accident caused by Pierre Palmade last February in Seine-et-Marne. Today, in one in five fatal accidents, a driver tests positive for narcotics, according to the National Interministerial Observatory for Road Safety.
>> Drugs and drunk driving: four questions on the offense of “road homicide” that Gérald Darmanin wishes to create
Elisabeth Borne announced on Sunday May 28 on Radio J that the penalties for driving under the influence of narcotics would be “undoubtedly reinforced” in July : “I will convene an interdepartmental road safety committee in July and we will have to come back to the sanctions which must undoubtedly be reinforced for those who drive under the influence of narcotics.“said the Prime Minister.”We carried out 800,000 checks in 2022, we want to increase to 1 million. We want to be very present to dissuade this kind of behavior and probably reinforce the sanctions.“, insisted the head of government, recalling that the Ministers of Justice and the Interior were “watching“the possibility of creating an offense of road homicide knowing that currently the acts of drivers under the influence of drugs having caused the death of a person fall within the scope of”manslaughter“.
However, qualification “manslaughter” does not pass on to the families of the victims. It is primarily a question of terminology, explains Pierre Lagache, vice-president of the League against road violence. “It is often very difficult to accept the term manslaughter when one is confronted with extremely deviant behavior, whether in terms of the consumption of alcohol, drugs, or even excessive speed.” Beyond the meaning of the words, the association expects greater sanctions.
The maximum penalties provided for by law “are never pronounced”
The creation of a “road homicide offence”, already announced by the Minister of the Interior Gérald Darmanin last February, is again on the agenda. Today, for a fatal accident with drug and alcohol consumption, the penalties can go up to ten years in prison and a fine of 150,000 euros. “The fact is that these sentences are never pronouncedobserves Pierre Lagache, it is a misunderstanding of the victims”.
“We are less in a race for heavier sentences than in seeing them applied.”
Pierre Lagache, vice-president of the League against road violenceat franceinfo
But for that, no need to change the legislation, says the association of motorists Mobilité Club France. “There is already a legal arsenalrecalls Yves Carra, his spokesperson. Simply using what already exists would be a real answer to losing a loved one in an accident.”
A bill to introduce this road homicide was tabled by MP LR Éric Pauget last month. In particular, it provides for an intermediate sentence between manslaughter and voluntary homicide. In 2021, according to the National Interministerial Road Safety Observatory, 867 people were killed in an accident involving a driver under the influence of alcohol or narcotics.