Fewer road deaths in 2023

With 3,107 deaths on the roads, mainland France experienced a 4% decrease in fatalities in 2023, saving 97 lives.

The analysis of the annual figures from the National Interministerial Road Safety Observatoire (ONISR) remains a sensitive exercise. Celebrating a reduction in the number of victims is natural because each life saved is a victory against the unacceptable. Nonetheless, this light should not obscure the shadow of lives lost.

The dangers of two-wheeled vehicles

With 1,525 deaths, the share of motorists in road mortality is not the majority (48%), a trend that has been confirmed since 2020. Motorized two-wheel users again pay a heavy toll with 707 fatalities, a very slight decrease of -2% (-11 victims). The number of serious injuries remains stable and particularly high, with 5,300 injured—7.5 times the number of deaths, compared to a ratio of 3.1 for motorists. For cyclists, the ratio is 11, with 226 killed and 2,500 seriously injured.

New deaths for new mobility options

As a consequence of the exponential increase in the number of Personal Motorized Transport Devices (EDPM) on the roads, their users are experiencing a rise in accidents: 42 scooter riders lost their lives in 2023 compared to 35 in 2022. 640 scooter riders suffered serious injuries, up 7%. Another direct consequence is the increase in deaths among teenagers aged 14-17 in 2023, with 117 victims—19 more than in 2022.

Pedestrians numbered 440 fatalities, 48 fewer than in 2022 (-10%). 2,000 pedestrians were seriously injured, a figure stable compared to 2022.

As must always be reiterated despite stubborn clichés, men account for 77.9% of road deaths, a figure that remains surprisingly stable.

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