According to the latest studies of how the French behave behind the wheel, the standard of French driving is getting worse.
The study by TNS-Sofres for the insurer Axa, found that the amount of drivers who claim to obey the highway code to the letter has dropped from 51% to 48% in the past year.
It is the 11th year running that the survey has been carried out. 28% of drivers admitted using a mobile phone while driving, up from 26% a year ago. Half of respondents admitted driving despite feeling tired.
Only about 50% of drivers say they use the indicators correctly, down from 57% last year and only half of those who took part said that they did not stop for pedestrians at a crossing.
67% of drivers admitted getting angry or being abusive towards other drivers.
The study did however find that young drivers’ attitude to alcohol was changing for the better, with 21% of those aged 18-25 saying they drove after drinking two glasses of wine, compared with 28% among other age groups.
The research was carried out by telephone among a representative nationwide sample of 1,510 drivers.
