The number of deaths on the roads of Metropolitan France reported a record drop in 2018. This is shown in the assessment made on on 28 January 2019 by French Prime Minister Édouard Philippe.
With 3259 deaths, 2018 became the least deadly year in Metropolitan France after 2013 which recorded 3268 casualties.
Road safety in France: the speed limit at 80 km/h bears fruit in 2018
According to the French authorities, this decrease in mortality on the roads coincides with the introduction of the speed limit to 80 km/h on the roads. For the Prime Minister, this measure paid off as 116 lives have been saved since July 1st, 2018 on the network where the speed limit went from 90 to 80 km/h.
In the overseas territories, the number of deaths amounted to 244 deaths in 2018 which increased the 2018 toll to 3503 casualties, against 3427deaths in 2013. The past year became thus the second the least deadly year in the history of road safety [4] in Metropolitan France and overseas territories.