In May 2024, 249 people died on the roads of mainland France, and 15 overseas.
Mainland France
It is estimated that 249 people died on the roads of mainland France in May 2024, compared with 241 in May 2023, a increase of 3%. In particular, there was a sharp increase in the number of pedestrian fatalities (+15), bicycle fatalities (+11), and powered two-wheelers fatalities (+9). Car users fatalities decrease (-15). The number of fatalities rose for people aged 65 or over (+10 fatalities) and under-18s (+6 fatalities). The number of fatalities rose in rural roads (+11%) and fell in urban areas (-9%).
1,297 people were seriously injured in May 2024, -12% compared with May 2023 (according to the estimation method developed by ONISR on the basis of work by Gustave Eiffel University). This decrease concerned injured to powered two-wheelers (-18%), bicycle (-15%) and pedestrians (-14%), while the number of users seriously injured in cars is stable.
* May 2024 compared with May 2023
** Cumulative 3 months from March 2024 to May 2024 compared with cumulative 3 months from March 2023 to May 2023
Data source : ONISR - Data on accidents involving injuries recorded by police forces - Geographical area : France mainland
Labelled series for fatalities (definitives until 2023), ONISR-UGE estimations seriously injured, 2024 estimate based on data as of 07/06/2024
Evolution of the number of users fatalities cumulated on a rolling 12 months
Overall, fatalities over the last 12 months have increased by +5% compared to the previous 12 months, and by +1% compared to 2019, year taken as a reference for the 2020-2030 decade.
Since the pandemic, car users have accounted for just under half of all road deaths. Their fatalities over the last 12 months is estimated at 1,499 fatalities down by -2% compared to the previous 12 months and by -8% compared to 2019.
Fatalities among powered two-wheeler users have been on the rise again recent months: 753 people were killed in the last 12 months, up by +12% on the previous 12 months, and up by +1% compared to 2019.
Pedestrian fatalities, after o significant drop, are on the rise: 495 pedestrians have died in the last 12 months, up by +8% on the previous 12 months, and up by +2% compared to 2019.
Cycling fatalities over the last 12 months show a stable trend: 239 cyclists were killed, up by +9% compared to the previous 12 months. However, this result is +28% higher than in 2019. The French are showing an interest in using individual modes of transport for short journeys in towns and cities, but they also use bicycles for leisure activities in rural areas.
Fatalities among PMDs motorized users has risen sharply over the last 12 months, 45 people were killed in the last year, a rise of +32% compared to the previous 12 months.
Fatalities among young adults aged 18-24, after falling in 2023, is on rise again: 527 young people were killed, a result equivalent to the previous 12 months, and by -4% compared with 2019.
Fatalities among people aged 65 or over stands at 936 people killed in the last 12 months, increase of +10% compared with the previous 12 months and up by +10% compared to 2019.
Data source : ONISR - Data on accidents involving injuries recorded by police forces - Geographical area : France mainland
Labelled series for fatalities (definitives until 2023), ONISR-UGE estimations seriously injured, 2024 estimate based on data as of 07/06/2024
Evolution of the number of users seriously injured cumulated on a rolling 12 months
Overall, the number of seriously injured over the last 12 months is up by +2% compared to the previous 12 months, and lower by -2% compared to 2019, year taken as a reference for the 2020-2030 decade.
Powered two-wheeler represent for a third of seriously injured; over the last 12 months, they are estimated at 5,300 seriously injured, up by +3% compared with the previous 12 months and lower by -7% compared to 2019.
Car users account for just under a third of seriously injured; over the last 12 months, they are estimated at 4,800 seriously injured, up by +1% compared to the previous 12 months and lower by -7% compared to 2019.
The number of cyclists seriously injured over the last 12 months is well above the figure for 2019, but has recently fallen: 2,500 cyclists are thought to have been seriously injured over the last 12 months, lower by -2% compared the previous 12 months, but higher by +8% compared to 2019. Indeed, the French are showing an interest in using individual modes of transport for short journeys in towns and cities, but they also use bicycles for leisure activities in rural areas.
The number of seriously injured pedestrians has been stable over the past year, but remains significantly lower than in 2019: an estimated 2,000 pedestrians have been seriously injured over the past 12 months, by +3% compared to the previous 12 months and by -12% compared to 2019.
The number of seriously injured PMDs motorized users continues to rise, with over 660 seriously injured in the last 12 months, up by +6% compared to the previous 12 months.
The number of seriously injured among young adults aged 18-24, an age group at high risk of severe road crashes, is estimated in the last 12 months to 2,800 seriously injured, up slightly by 6% on the previous 12 months andand by +1% compared to 2019.
The number of seriously injured people among people aged 65 or over is estimated at 2,600 seriously injured over the last 12 months, higher by +4% compared with the previous 12 months and by +1% compared to 2019.
Data source : ONISR - Data on accidents involving injuries recorded by police forces - Geographical area : France mainland
Labelled series for fatalities (definitives until 2023), ONISR-UGE estimations seriously injured, 2024 estimate based on data as of 07/06/2024
Detailed table for May 2024 compared to the same period last year:
Overall, the trend is up for road mortality in urban areas (+11%), rural road (+13%) and motorways (+24%). The number of seriously injured also increased on the motorway (+28%) but decreased by -2% in urban areas and in rural road.
** Cumulative 3 months from March 2024 to May 2024 compared with cumulative 3 months from March 2023 to May 2023
Data source : ONISR - Data on accidents involving injuries recorded by police forces - Geographical area : France mainland
Labelled series for fatalities (definitives until 2023), ONISR-UGE estimations seriously injured, 2024 estimate based on data as of 07/06/2024
Overseas
In May 2024, the police recorded 270 injury accidents for french overseas, 5% more than in May 2023.
In these accidents, there were:
- 15 fatalities (12 in the DROMs and 3 in the other territories), i.e. -25% compared to 2023;
- 373 injured (345 in the DROMs and 28 in the other territories), i.e. +4% compared to 2023.
* May 2024 compared with May 2023
** Cumulative 3 months from March 2024 to May 2024 compared with cumulative 3 months from March 2023 to May 2023
Data source : ONISR - Data on accidents involving injuries recorded by police forces - Geographical area : DROM, COM-NC
Definitive data until 2023, provisional BAAC data stopped on 07/06/2024
The decrease in the number of deaths and the increase in the number of injured recorded by the police this May 2024 is similar to the trend observed over the last 3 months.
This trend is also reflected in the French overseas counties and regions (-26% of fatalities and +11% of injured recorded), and in the other French overseas territories (-38% of fatalities and -12% of injured recorded).