9:19 – Edited: 10:10 by Emilie PLANTARD
The prefect of Maine-et-Loire on a road safety stand
Credit: Emilia Plantard
29 deaths on the roads of Maine-et-Loire since the beginning of the year, the data on road safety for the department are not good. It is also a national observation, road insecurity increases in 2022 compared to 2019, the last reporting year. At the beginning of autumn, the prefecture of Maine-et-Loire therefore decided to act by relaunching the road safety week, which has been suspended for 2 years.
From 17 October until 23, awareness and repression actions therefore take place almost everywhere around Angers.
The first took place on Monday at the Faculty of Arts, with the students. Those who are more adept at soft means of transportation such as bicycles or electric scooters are particularly targeted. Christian Thalbot is one of the prefecture’s road safety coordinators, trying to get the message across, particularly by donating reflective equipment.
“We see that they circulate a little bit anyway, everywhere. This is the great danger right now in big cities. The danger is the traffic without being visible. When they are dressed in black and not illuminated, they are invisible. It is above all the person they are. poorly lit when it is not enough ».
Credit: Emilia Plantard
To be seen!
Of all accidents recorded since the beginning of 2022, 25% involve scooter or bicycle users. The focus is on visibility, and not just on lighting, recalls Commissioner Céline Stona, deputy director of public security of Maine-et-Loire in the police area.
“We will soon switch to winter time, so often when we arrive or leave work it is dark and visibility is very important. There are many who do not wear the reflective vest. With us it is visible at 150 meters while without it, we are visible at 30 meters. meters. But at 50 KM / H it takes 26 meters to brake so it can make a difference. We really insist on this point because it can make a difference. “
Remember that on an electric scooter the reflective vest is mandatory at night or if visibility is reduced. It is also cycling when you are out of town.
Credit: Emilia Plantard
The road safety booth at the Angers University of Letters
Credit: Emilia Plantard
Credit: ONISR Road Safety
A bad year 2022
The goal is to raise awareness on the concept of visibility, even if autumn is the hottest time of the year. The prefect of Maine-et-Loire, Pierre Ory, recalls the context of mortality on the roads. At the same time, there were 21 deaths in the department in 2019.
“The figures have been very negative since the beginning of the year. Compared to 2019, we have 38% more deaths on the roads, that is to say already 29 deaths. Behind these figures there are broken lives and we need to react”.
Preventive actions are carried out every day in various sites of the Angevin metropolis. The police and the gendarmerie will also increase checks this week. The complete program on www.maine-et-loire.gouv.fr
Credit: Emilia Plantard
