In 2021, 383,085 road safety offenders were referred by public prosecutors' offices, representing 19% of all referred offenders.
This summary is based on provisional 2021 data provided by the Ministry of Justice.
The scope covered by the statistical data of the Ministry of Justice consists of convictions handed down, according to various procedures (criminal orders, court judgment and appearance on a preliminary admission of guilt), for a 5th class offence and contravention relating to road safety and entered in the Criminal Record. In addition, there are criminal compositions which are alternative procedures that do not constitute the first term of recidivism but whose measures are recorded in the criminal record.
Road safety offences punished by the courts can be grouped into four main categories:
- offences related to non-compliance with the rules of the road (driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or speeding offences) accounted for 44% of offenders referred in 2021,
- offences against the person, 7%,
- paper offences (such as driving without a license), 36%,
- offences aimed at evading controls, 13%.
Age of offenders
In 2021, drink-driving and drug-driving were the 2 main offences punished under the Highway Code. These 2 offences do not have the same age distribution of convicted offenders. Driving under the influence of alcohol predominantly concerns the 40-59 age group (37%) and the 30-39 age group (28%), while driving with drugs concerns the 30-39 age group (30%) and the 20-24 age group (27%).
Driving without a license is more common among young drivers aged 20-24 (25%).
Lack of insurance and driving with a suspended license were more common among 30-39 year-olds (29% and 28% respectively).
Unintentional injury and manslaughter concern older working drivers, aged 40-59.