June 2021 Road Safety dashboard

Mainland

289 people were killed on the roads of mainland France in June 2021 compared to 211 in June 2020, that is to say 78 more people killed (+37%). This result is comparable to the one of June 2019 (3 fewer killed) but remains slightly low compared to the average for June 2015-2019 (-3%).

The number of injury accidents recorded by the police is 5,562 in June 2021, compared to 4,177 in June 2020, that is to say 1,385 more injury accidents, and compared to 5,235 in June 2019, that is to say 327 more injury accidents. The number of injury accidents has increased by +6% compared to June 2019.

7,020 people were injured in June 2021, compared to 5,268 in June 2020, that is to say 1,752 more people. The number of injured has increased by +5% compared to June 2019, with 349 more people injured.

The number of trips in June 2021 was higher than in June 2020. This level of traffic in June 2021 is measured by Cerema (traffic dataviz) and includes a peak of about +40% compared to June 2020 (with a still low traffic despite the removal of trips restrictions on the 2nd of June 2020). The increase is particularly pronounced on weekends, but is also present on working days to a lesser extent. Thus, the results concerning accidents and injuries reflect the return of French mobility to the same level as before the crisis in 2019, with a fatality rate for the month of June 2021 similar to the ones of June for
the years before the health crisis.

^{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 09/07/2021}

2021 road fatalities by mode of travel, age, and road network

The mobility of french people has been impacted by the reduction of the curfew from 11pm to 6am on the 9th of June 2021, as opposed to the previous 9pm to 6am curfew, and then by the removal of the curfew from the 20th of June. Fatalities in June 2021 is significantly higher than the one recorded in June 2020, when all trips were authorized from the 2nd of June 2020 on the french territory.

Cyclists fatalities are particularly high for June 2021 with almost double the number of fatalities compared to June 2019.

Pedestrians fatalities in June 2021 are increasing compared to the pre-crisis period (June 2019), and this is even more marked compared to June 2020. Thus, 37 pedestrians were killed in June 2021, 4 more than in June 2019 and 8 more than in June 2020.

Motorcyclists fatalities, with 83 fatalities, are above the average level of the last 10 years. The particularly sunny weather in June 2021 in the South East played an important role in encouraging motorcycle use.

Car users fatalities were higher than in June 2020: 110 car users were killed compared to 101 in June 2020, that is to say 9 more fatalities. However, this is much lower compared to June 2019, as well as the mouths of June of the previous years (about 30 fewer fatalities). Excepted for the South East, this June saw very unstable weather that partly limited outings on some regions.

The fatalities among young people aged 18-24 for June 2021 doubled from June 2020 but remains lower than June 2019. The curfew measure benefits young adults a bit more with the restrictions on evening events as well as the closure of some festive places.

Fatalities for senior aged 65 or over are slightly higher than June 2020 and similar to June 2019. Seniors aged 75 years or over in particular, who have not been very mobile during the pandemic so far, seem to be returning to their usual outing habits.

In urban areas, fatalities are higher than in June 2020 and June 2019, with 23 and 9 more fatalities respectively. On rural roads, fatalities are higher than in June 2020 but slightly lower than in June 2019, with 52 more and 5 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 09/07/2021}

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 1,236 compared to 1,622 for the entire year of 2019, which reprensent a drop of -24% over a bit more than a year. Car users fatalities in June 2021 remains much lower than in June 2019.
Pedestrians fatalities also drops sharply over this period: it is estimated that 366 pedestrians were killed in the last 12 months compared to 483 over the entire year of 2019, which means a decrease of -24%.

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 -12% with 541 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, -30% compared to 2019 with 94 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 -17% in the last 12 months compared to 2019 (454 people killed compared to 549 in 2019), a trend that continues in this first half 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 on a sharp increase: 236 cyclists were killed in the last 12 months, +20% 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 publictransport 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 09/07/2021}

Overseas

In June 2021, the road safety indicators for French overseas are higher than in June 2020 and in June 2019, except for fatalities :

•    238 injury accidents compared to 212 accidents;
•    325 injuries compared to 259 injuries;
•    18 fatalities compared to 20 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 09/07/2021}