French driving 'getting worse'

DRIVING standards in France are worsening, according to the latest in an annual series of surveys of French behaviour behind the wheel.

The number of drivers who claim to obey the highway code to the letter has dropped from 51% to 48% in the past year, the study by TNS-Sofres for insurer Axa Prévention found.

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.

Use of indicators is on the decline, with 50% of drivers saying they used them correctly, down from 57% last year. Half of respondents said 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.