On the eve of the Ascension weekend, which will see many motorists hit the road, the Vinci Autoroutes Foundation publishes the results of its 13th Responsible Driving Barometer, a survey conducted by Ipsos in 11 European countries who is interested in the behavior and ideas of Europeans behind the wheel.

To realize Barometer of responsible drivingIpsos interview from 5 to 31 March 2022 via the Internet, 12,400 people aged 16 and over, including 2,400 French and at least 1,000 in each of the 10 other countries surveyed (Germany, Belgium, Spain, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Great Britain, Slovakia, Sweden).

The French are becoming increasingly bad drivers

This is evidenced by the release of this study for 2023 the french are becoming increasingly bad drivers, often exceeding the average European level of risky behavior on the road. Indeed, the rules of driving are less and less respected, and despite this, French motorists practice many prohibited uses every day.

Example, 74% French drivers use their phone while driving: 49% set their GPS while driving, 30% send and read text messages or email, and 8% even watch movies or videos on their smartphone. Finally, 83% admit that they sometimes take their eyes off the road for more than 2 seconds, which is equivalent to driving at least 72 meters “blind” at 130 km/h.

In addition, some dangerous behavior is always observed on the road: 9% of French drivers admit to having driven under the influence of alcohol, and 4% – to have taken drugs. In addition, 13% of drivers indicate that they sometimes do not wear seat belts, 68% do not maintain a safe distance, 49% drive in the middle lane when the right lane is free, and almost 9 out of 10 motorists (89%) exceed the speed limit by several km/h hours In addition, 67% of French drivers do not systematically apply the rules of the safety corridor, and 18% are not even aware of this rule.

Rudeness behind the wheel explodes

The study reveals an even more disturbing fact, as there has been a real surge in recent years rudeness behind the wheel. However, drivers do not seem to be aware of bad attitudes: 97% cite at least one positive adjective to describe their own behavior (vigilant, calm, polite, etc.), yet 85% of drivers cite at least one negative adjective to describe the behavior of others (aggressive, tense , dangerous, etc.).

In reality, 89% of drivers say they fear others driving aggressively, a 10-year high of 84% in the rest of Europe. Most rudeness is much higher in France, with 68% of French admitting to insulting other drivers (compared to 52% in Europe), 59% of French people honking at other road users who annoy them (vs. 50%) and 35% deliberately hitting vehicles , which annoy them (against 32%). Finally, 18% of French drivers get out of their car to explain themselves to others (vs. 22%).