On The Right Road

The French government hasn’t had many domestic policy wins of late, but it can claim a success on the roads. Just over two years ago, the country’s road death count was the highest in Europe at more than 8,000 per year. But over the summer, the number of road fatalities fell by 13.7% compared to the same period last year. The drop came on the back of a slide of more than 20% between 2002 and 2003, from 7,242 to 5,731. The main reason: a big drop in speeding. Since the first quarter of 2002, the number of motorists exceeding the limit by at least 10 km/h has fallen by 15%.

What convinced a nation known for intemperate driving to slow down? Tougher policing, stiffer fines and a hard-hitting publicity campaign. More than 100 speed radars have been installed around the country since last fall (1,000 are to be in place by the end of 2005). The government also funded a series of chilling anti-speeding commercials aired last year — including radio spots consisting simply of graveside eulogies — designed to scare drivers into behaving. But the key to the success, argues Geneviève Jurgensen of the League Against Road Violence, is enforcement. “People won’t heed the law unless there is a real probability of getting caught,” she says. Now there’s an argument to keep those speed cameras rolling.