In May 2021, 216 fatalities occurred on the roads of mainland France and 13 overseas.
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Warning: the health crisis linked to Covid-19 has led the government to take exceptional measures to restrict trips and activities. Since March 2020, the evolution of road accidents reflects the hazards of the measures and the way French people have adapted their mobility according to the periods. A curfew has been in place in mainland France since the beginning of 2021 and teleworking is strongly recommended. From the 3rd of May, travel beyond 10 km is authorized, and the curfew from 7:00 pm to 6:00 am is delayed to 9:00 pm after the 19th of May. |
Mainland
216 people were killed on the roads of mainland France in May 2021 compared with 207 in May 2020, i.e. 9 more people killed (+4%). This result remains low compared to the result for May 2019 (-11%) and compared to the average for May 2015-2019 (-21%).
The number of injury crashes recorded by the police is 4,542 in May 2021, compared to 3,121 in May 2020, an increase of 1,421 injury accidents, and compared to 4,664 in May 2019, a decrease of 122 injury accidents. The number of injury accidents has decreased by -3% compared to May 2019.
5,763 people were injured in May 2021, compared to 3,710 in May 2020, an increase of 2,053 people. The number of injuries has decreased by -2% compared to May 2019, with 91 fewer people injured.
Trips during the end of the lockdown in May 2021 were higher than in May 2020. This traffic recovery in May 2021 is measured by Cerema (traffic dataviz) and includes a peak of about +40% compared to May 2020 (with still very low traffic, as the end of the lockdown was later in the month - May 11, 2020 vs. May 3, 2021, and inter-regional trips were not allowed in May 2020 unlike May 2021). The increase is particularly pronounced on weekends, but is also present on workdays to a lesser extent. Thus, the results concerning accidents and injuries reflect the return of French mobility to almost the same level as before the crisis, in 2019, but road mortality remains stable compared to 2020 and thus much lower than in the years before the health crisis, with the curfew and the rainy and cool weather conditions remaining a brake.
Data source : ONISR - Data on accidents involving injuries recorded by police forces - Geographical area : France mainland
Labelled series (definitive until 2020), 2021 estimate based on data as of 04/06/2021
2021 road fatalities by mode of travel, age, and road network
The mobility of french people has been impacted by the end of the geographical travel restrictions from the 3rd of May.The curfew in place from 7pm to 6am is reduced to 9pm to 6am from the 19th of May. Fatalities in May 2021 is relatively comparable to the one recorded in May 2020, while the first end of the lockdown did not start until 11 May 2020 and travel over 100km was not allowed.
Pedestrians fatalities in May 2021 are still lower than in the pre-crisis period (May 2019), and equivalent to those in May 2020. Thus 26 pedestrians were killed in May 2021, 9 less than in May 2019 but the same number as in May 2020, a period when the French just came to the end of a strict confinement.
Motorcyclists fatalities, with 49 killed, remain below the average level of the last 10 years. The particularly cool and rainy weather in May 2021 played an important role in limiting motorcycle use.
Car users fatalities were logically higher than in May 2020, when motorized traffic and long-distance travel start again: 102 car users were killed compared to 85 in May 2020, i.e. 17 more fatalities. However, this is much lower than May 2019, as well as May in previous years (about 50 fewer fatalities).
The fatalities of young people aged 18-24 for May 2021 have decreased compared to May 2020 and May 2019. The curfew measure benefits young adults a bit more with the evening restrictions.
Fatalities for senior aged 65 or over are approaching the one of May 2020 and remains lower than the one of May 2019. This is to be correlated with a still low pedestrians fatalities and a car users fatalities much lower than before the health crisis.
In urban areas, fatalities are higher than in May 2020 and May 2019, with 17 and 5 more fatalities respectively. On rural roads, fatalities are lower than in May 2020 and May 2019, with 6 and 19 fewer fatalities respectively.
Data source : ONISR - Data on accidents involving injuries recorded by police forces - Geographical area : France mainland
Labelled series (definitive until 2020), 2021 estimate based on data as of 04/06/2021
Development of the number of users fatalities cumulated on a rolling 12 months
The health crisis has deeply affected trips since March 2020, for all users, but to varying degrees depending on alternating restricted and authorized movements.
Car users usually account for half of all road deaths. Their fatalities over the last 12 months is estimated at 1,224 compared to 1,622 for the entire year of 2019, which reprensent a drop of -25% over a bit more than a year. Car users fatalities in May 2021 remains much lower than in May 2019.
Pedestrians fatalities also drops sharply over this period: it is estimated that 359 pedestrians were killed in the last 12 months compared to 483 over the entire year of 2019, which means a decrease of -26%.
These very strong declines are to be put in relation with the strong decrease of the fatalities among seniors aged 65 years or more, particularly those aged 75 years or over, who have severely limited their movements during lockdowns and curfew periods, but have also probably gone on holyday much less. Seniors account for half of the pedestrians fatalities each year, and more than a quarter of the car users fatalities.
The fatalities of powered two-wheeler users is also decreasing: the drop among motorcyclists represent -18% with 507 killed in the last 12 months compared to 615 killed in 2019, a decrease that is being reduced in recent months. The decrease in moped fatalities has been maintained since the beginning of 2021, -33% compared to 2019 with 90 moped fatalities in the last 12 months compared to 134 in 2019; a drop that probably reflects the measures that have curbed mobility among young people (distance learning, curfew).
Fatalities among young adults aged 18-24, at high risk of serious road accidents, have decreased by -22% in the last 12 months compared to 2019 (429 people killed compared to 549 in 2019), a trend that continues in this beginning of 2021 with the curfew measures and the closure of some festive places.
Compared to other trends, cyclists fatalities have been increasing in recent months after a reduction at the beginning of the pandemic, and the result is a slight increase: 214 cyclists died in the last 12 months, +10% compared to 2019. Indeed,despite that the trips have been limited by the measures related to the health crisis, the French have shown a preference for using individual means of transport for short trips rather than public transport in towns, but also have developed leisure cycling in rural areas.
Finally, fatalities of heavy goods vehicle users is stable, as maintaining their activity remains essential for the daily life of the French people and companies. However, it remains at a level that has been reduced by almost half in 10 years.
Data source : ONISR - Data on accidents involving injuries recorded by police forces - Geographical area : France mainland
Labelled series (definitive until 2020), 2021 estimate based on data as of 04/06/2021
Overseas
In May 2021, the road safety indicators for French overseas are higher than in May 2020 and in May 2019, except for fatalities :
- 261 injury accidents compared to 173 accidents;
- 297 injuries compared to 228 injuries;
- 13 fatalities compared to 21 fatalities.
ns: non-significant change
Data source : ONISR - Data on accidents involving injuries recorded by police forces - Geographical area : DOM + COM + New Caledonia
Definitive data until 2020, provisional data 2021 stopped on 04/06/2021