Road Safety: What Do the French Really Think?
- Published on 12/11/2025 16:22
DEKRA takes stock of a century of road safety and shares the perspective of the French on the future of our roads.
This year, DEKRA celebrates its 100th anniversary. A century of overseeing road safety, from light vehicles to heavy trucks, and following the technical innovations that transform our roads. The perfect opportunity to survey the French on their perception of safety and the progress made… but also the challenges still to be addressed.
Since its founding, DEKRA has been supporting the evolution of transport. Present in more than 60 countries and employing nearly 49,000 people, the group has witnessed generations of vehicles come and go, while staying true to its mission: preventing risks and ensuring everything runs safely. Karine Bonnet, General Manager of DEKRA Automotive, reminds: “Vehicle inspections remain a vital pillar to protect everyone on the road.”
Improving, but not good yet
The figures remain telling. In Europe, the number of road fatalities slightly decreased between 2023 and 2024, but there is still a long way to go to reach the target of 11,400 deaths by 2030. In France, mortality remains steady at around 3,200 deaths per year in metropolitan areas, and 239 overseas. Experience shows that it is collective actions, involving public authorities, associations, and businesses, that enable sustainable results.
On the French side, the DEKRA/OpinionWay study reveals nuanced perceptions. For 72% of respondents, interactions between road users are the primary cause of danger, ahead of the condition of rural roads (63%) and urban roads (50%). But they also praise technological advances: 61% cite embedded safety systems and 44% cite the reduction of pollutant emissions as factors of improvement.
Regarding the future, optimism remains measured: 48% believe the number of deaths could decrease, but 56% fear that serious accidents will remain frequent. The French especially rely on technology (70%), soft mobility (67%), and increased inspections (58%), but doubt the evolution of road behaviors (71%).
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A hundred years after its founding, DEKRA reminds us that road safety is not only about vehicles or rules: it depends on everyone, on every journey, every day.
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This page is translated from the original post "Sécurité routière : que pensent vraiment les Français ?" in French.
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