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Video length: 2 min
TRUE OR FALSE. Are trees dangerous for motorists?
TRUE OR FALSE. Are trees dangerous for motorists? – (France 2)
Should we choose between road safety and nature conservation? The Haute-Marne Departmental Council has chosen to cut down up to 4,000 trees on the side of the roads. Are they a threat to motorists? The True or False team investigated.
In Haute-Marne, some of the roadside trees are on borrowed time. They are too dangerous, judges the president of the Departmental Council, Nicolas Lacroix. “If it is necessary to massively cut down trees to guarantee safety (…), we will not hesitate. Trees that kill no longer have their place on the side of our roads”, he believes. In the department, 4,000 trees could be cut down. A petition has been launched, and on social networks, many are outraged.
Trees also grow to slow down
According to a study by the National Highway Safety Council, “trees are responsible for 25% of deaths” And “the most aggressive obstacles are trees”. Collisions with trees are more violent than simple leaving the road. In 2022, according to official figures, 273 people lost their lives in these circumstances. But in the United Kingdom, in the county of Norfolk, trees have been planted to create a wall effect, which gives the impression of driving faster and encourages motorists to slow down. Result, according to local elected officials: -20% accidents on the portions concerned. Alcohol and speed kill more than trees on French roads.
