Road accidents in France: Mixed figures for October 2024

The latest official figures on road safety in France show a mixed picture over the past month, with the number of severe road accident injuries down 10%, but deaths up 2%.

The new figures for October 2024 were published in a press release from France’s road safety authority la Sécurité routière on Monday, November 18.

• 316 people were killed on French roads in October (a rise of 2% compared to October 2023)

• 1,354 people were seriously injured (drop of 10% compared to October 2023).

The majority of road deaths were among drivers, with 35 more killed in October 2024 than the same month last year. In contrast, the number of deaths among vulnerable road users fell, particularly among cyclists. There were 14 cyclist deaths, 14 fewer than in October 2023. 

However, the number of deaths among younger people (18-24 year-olds) is up, with 13 more fatalities over the month than the same month in 2023. 

Read also: Alcohol, drugs: Rising main causes of fatal motorway crashes in France 
Read also: What the new red lines on these French motorways mean 

Deteriorating conditions and slower reaction times

“In autumn, weather conditions deteriorate, with rain and fog reducing visibility,” said Florence Guillaume, inter-ministerial delegate for road safety, in the press release. “The perception of distances is greatly altered and reaction times lengthened.

"You need to adapt your driving to remain in control of your vehicle by observing the speed limits and increasing your safety distance from the vehicle in front. You obviously need to reduce all distractions (smartphones) that affect reaction time, and therefore braking. 

“At 80 kph, 2 seconds with your eyes on your smartphone is already [an extra] 45 metres [of stopping]; at 90 kph, 50 metres and at 130 kph, 72 metres.”

Since the start of the year, 2,661 people have died on French roads (as of the end of October), an increase of 3% compared with 2023, figures show.