Push to improve road safety on motorways
Source: www.rivieratimes.com. Posted on 20 April 2006.
France's motorway safety record has shown a notable improvement in the last 5 years. On the Escota network between 2000 and 2005 the death toll was reduced by more than 40%. Last year in the Alpes-Maritimes the number of fatal accidents fell by more than 36%. These figures show progress in the campaign to lower road accidents, but there is still a push to further reduce the figures since driving on the motorway is still the biggest cause of accidents at work. In the Alpes-Maritimes 55% of work related deaths occured on the road.
Lorry drivers are amongst the most renowned culprits for causing road accidents: from using their mobile phones while at the wheel; forgetting to check their speed (often due to pressure from employers to keep to deadlines); and objects falling onto the road. Many believe the way to tackle these issues is by introducing a professional driving license across the board.
