Road mortality 2021: – 8% compared to 2019 according to the provisional report

According to Onisr estimates, 3,221 people died in 2021 on French roads (mainland and overseas), i.e. an overall drop of 8% compared to 2019. As a reminder, due to a year 2020 “ atypical” in terms of traffic conditions linked to the health crisis, the Onisr has always compared the data for 2021 to that of 2020 and 2019.

In detail, road mortality fell in January and February (curfews applied), in April (containment) and in September in France in 2021. Conversely, it increased in March, then between May and August, and finally, between October and December.

Metropolitan France: road mortality down 9%

Road mortality in mainland France would have fallen by 9% between 2019 and 2021, but increased by 16% compared to 2020, with 2,947 deaths recorded. This drop in mortality was accompanied by a drop in other road accident indicators in 2021, compared to 2019. Indeed, the police recorded 53,620 bodily accidents, i.e. respectively – 4% and + 19% compared to 2019 and 2020. They also recorded 67,141 injuries in 2021, i.e. – 5% compared to 2019 and + 20% compared to 2020.

Road fatalities followed the same trend for these categories of users:

• 1,411 motorists killed in 2021, i.e. – 13% and + 14% compared to 2019 and 2020,
• 670 deaths of two-wheeler drivers (92 moped riders and 578 motorcyclists) in 2021; – 10.5% and + 15.7% compared to 2019 and 2020,
• and 416 pedestrians killed in 2021, i.e. – 14% and + 6% respectively compared to 2019 and 2020.

On the other hand, road fatalities of light commercial vehicle drivers remained stable between 2021 and 2019 with 98 people killed, but it is up 66% compared to 2020.

Mortality on the rise by bicycle, EDP-m or truck

Nevertheless, the road mortality of cyclists increased in 2021 with 226 deaths (+ 21% and + 27% compared to 2019 and 2020). “For the first time in twenty years, the mortality of cyclists exceeds the threshold of 200 killed. This increase is more marked outside urban areas (+ 35% in 2021 compared to 2019) where the high speeds of motorized users make cyclists all the more vulnerable, details the organization. Mortality is also increasing, to a lesser extent (+8% compared to 2019), in urban areas. According to the Vélos & Territoires association, cycling has increased by + 14% in rural areas, by + 20% in peri-urban areas and by + 31% in urban areas in 2021 compared to 2019.

Similarly, with 22 people killed in 2021, the road mortality of users of motorized personal transport vehicles is up 120% compared to 2019. This is also the case for truck drivers, with 48 killed in 2021, i.e. + 33% compared to 2019.

Falling mortality, especially outside urban areas

The number of fatalities fell regardless of age group between 2019 and 2021, with the exception of those under 18 (+ 20%) and those aged 65-74 (+ 2%). This fall in road mortality remains “more marked outside urban areas”, according to Onisr. Among the 1,732 killed on roads outside built-up areas off motorways:

• 655 were killed in the 38 departments which raised the maximum authorized speed (VMA) to 90 km/h on all or part of the network (equivalent to 2019),
• and 1,077 in the 57 departments that have not modified the VMA, i.e. -16.4% compared to 2019.

Overseas: + 8% compared to 2019

According to Onisr, 274 people were killed in Overseas France in 2021. Road mortality therefore increased by + 8% and + 12% in 2021 compared to 2019 and 2020. In detail, the organization recorded 182 killed in the overseas departments and 92 killed in the overseas communities and in New Caledonia in 2021. At the same time, the police recorded 2,970 bodily accidents (+ 5% and + 13 % compared to 2019 and 2020) and 3,767 injured (+ 3% and + 10% compared to 2019 and 2020).