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Box 5.2. Case study: France’s speed camera programme The French speed camera programme (SCP) represents one of the most important and effective innovations in the country’s road safety policy over the decade. An estimated 16 000 fatalities were avoided due to the SPC over the 2003-10 period as well as more than 62 000 light and severe injuries (Carnis and Blais, 2013). The programme was implemented in a particular institutional context marked by the interdepartmental dimension of road safety, specific governance arrangements and local government interventions The SCP represented a reaction to the relatively unfavourable road safety performance compared with other European countries and strong criticism of inefficient enforcement of traffic rules (Delorme and Lassarre, 2009; Carnis, 2007; Ternier, 2003). An important factor was the support from road accident victim advocacy groups (Carnis, 2012). Not least, the SCP was driven by the strong commitment of President Jacques Chirac, who publically declared road safety a top priority in his 14th of July speech, media support and the French public’s strong reaction to a series of high-profile road crashes The SCP can be considered as a core component of the French approach to a Safe System. It has contributed to a large reduction in the number of road casualties, as this is related directly to the significant decrease in operating speeds. This decrease occurred for each driver category and for all different road types of the networks. A large drop of speed violation rates was also observed in the 2002-12 period. The near complete automation of the speed enforcement process ended inefficient practices and put a stop to leniency hitherto shown by the police and judicial system. The SCP has thus improved enforcement operations and enabled a more stringent application of the law. With more than 4 000 speed cameras in operation, the automation of traffic enforcement also expands the enforcement capacity of the police and has allowed a massively improved control of the road network. The number of speed tickets issued grew by a factor of ten over the 2003-10 period. An enumeration of the institutional factors that explain the successful implementation of the French SCP must start with the crucial support provided by President Chirac at the top political level. This received complementary political back-up from the relevant ministries. The creation of dedicated lead authority, the Direction de Projet Interministériel Contrôle Automatisé (DPICA) in charge of the implementation process and the management of the programme (performance indicators, dedicated funding) was a third element. The French SCP is thus characterised by sustained collaboration between the different departments concerned (Carnis, 2009). The SCP also faces some challenges that may hold lessons for other countries. Political commitment needs to be sustained and across political parties in order to fend off challenges from well-organised lobby groups and instrumentation during election campaigns. Interdepartmental collaboration must be safeguarded against capture by one single department which may result from administrative reorganisations. Evaluation is crucial, because it promotes transparency and improves the operation of the programme by making corrections and adjustments possible. Evaluation can help generate public support and increase the level of acceptance for speed limit enforcement in society. The revenue dimension remains an important issue for all speed camera programmes. The public often views cameras as a “cash cow” for government and a hidden tax on drivers. The authorities have to prove that such programmes are cost-effective and yield a positive return for society at large by reducing harm. Revenue generated by the SCPs can be also used for funding road safety measures and communication campaigns. Independently of the speed camera programme, France has moved to gain a better balance between the quality of life and motorised traffic. In 2015, a bill was passed to allow local authorities to set general traffic speed limits at 30 km/h. Guidelines are now clearly expressing that 50 km/h should be restricted to urban roads where motor vehicle traffic is a priority. Grenoble has since chosen to adopt a 30 km/h speed limit except for a few main urban roads.
ZERO ROAD DEATHS AND SERIOUS INJURIES: LEADING A PARADIGM SHIFT TO A SAFE SYSTEM — © OECD/ITF 2016