The radars are gaining ground

François Fillon presented on Thursday, following an interministerial Council on Highway Safety, 14 measures aimed at reducing the number of road deaths, which stagnated in 2009 after seven years of decline. 4262 people died on roads in metropolitan 2009, a little less (-0.3%, 13 victims less) than the previous year.

First measurement: 800 new speed cameras which the installation is planned by 2012 will not be reported 400 meters upstream, but 1 to 2 km in areas of "common radar controls. The goal is to" avoid the little tap on the brakes followed by the re-acceleration to fix the radar, "said Secretary of State for Transport, Dominique Bussereau.

In addition, 100 radar called "stretch" will be implemented from 2011 they will control the average speed between two points separated by a few kilometers in "sensitive areas" (dangerous bends around yards).

Associations have welcomed these measures to fight against speeding, second cause of death on the roads after drinking. Representatives of victims, however, regretted the lack of progress on third-generation radar, embedded in unmarked vehicles. To fight against alcohol and drug driving, the police vehicles and police will have additional electronic breathalyzers 1800 from this year, also announced Francois Fillon and the number of tests salivary anti - drugs will increase by 60%.

The pubs will also make available to their customers free or not, chemical or electronic breathalyser tests, following a similar measure decided in February 2008 for disco.

Regarding the two wheeler, representing 28% of deaths among them many young people, a periodic test will be compulsory from the second year of distribution to check the clamping mopeds.

"It seems to go quite in the right direction," he responds Bernard Pottier, president of the Road Safety Association, for which the unlock is "a wound". "But nothing on a possible two-wheeled motorized" regretted Julé-Vincent Parade, vice president of Victims and Citizens Association.

Finally, as the law provides Loppsi 2 just passed, the punishment for the perpetrators to escape, which increased 31% in seven years, has worsened: three years in prison and 75,000 euros fine against two years and 30,000 euros fine today. On the whole, "it's pretty disappointing," Vincent held Julé-Parade. As Chantal Perrichon it deems these measures insufficient to achieve the goal of President Nicolas Sarkozy to reduce below 3000 the number of road deaths in 2012.

(Source AFP)