Overview
- An Ipsos study for Fondation Vinci Autoroutes reports 95% of road users fear others’ risky behavior, even as many admit to it themselves, including 67% of motorists running red lights, 58% skipping indicators, and 75% using phones.
- French cyclists report unusually low perceived safety, with 57% of regular riders feeling safe versus 81% across Europe and 93% in the Netherlands.
- Louis Sarkozy, a Menton mayoral candidate, proposes removing red lights, lane markings and signs, citing Dutch ‘naked roads’ examples such as Drachten and calling for limited trials.
- Reactions are divided: 40 Millions d’automobilistes condemns the idea as dangerous and populist, while Prévention routière says limited use can make sense only at very low speeds with careful design and protections for vulnerable users.
- Case studies in the Netherlands, the UK and Italy show accident reductions in specific shared‑space settings, but evidence is context‑dependent, vulnerable users face added risks, and past UK guidance imposed a moratorium on schemes that removed tactile cues and kerbs.