Former French president, Jacques Chirac, dies

The news that former French president, Jacques Chirac, has died aged 86 should be of note for those in the road safety sector. His political legacy is well known. Chirac was prime minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and again from 1986 to 1988, mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995 and finally president from 1995 to 2007. But his political reputation ended under a cloud following his suspended sentence on corruption charges. Perhaps less well widely known however is that Chirac had a tremendously beneficial e
September 26, 2019 Read time: 2 mins
The news that former French president, Jacques Chirac, has died aged 86 should be of note for those in the road safety sector.


His political legacy is well known. Chirac was prime minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and again from 1986 to 1988, mayor of Paris from 1977 to 1995 and finally president from 1995 to 2007. But his political reputation ended under a cloud following his suspended sentence on corruption charges.

Perhaps less well widely known however is that Chirac had a tremendously beneficial effect on road safety in France. Chirac was injured in a road crash in 1978 and that inspired him to institute a tough line on enforcement of laws against drinking and driving and speeding in particular. French laws had previously been lax on these, with the result that the country’s annual road casualty rate was shockingly high. Chirac’s tough line on road safety started in 2002, resulting in the French police cracking down hard on drinking and driving and speeding. The result was that France’s annual road casualty rate fell dramatically and has remained much lower ever since.

It is worth noting that that there are many French people today living healthy lives, who perhaps would not have been but for Chirac’s actions. No other European politician has ever saved so many people from death or injury on the roads. Perhaps this was not the legacy Chirac set out to achieve when he entered politics, but it is one that deserves much credit.

Related Content

  • Japan introducing new licence renewal rules for elderly drivers
    June 15, 2015
    Japan is planning to introduce new rules for elderly drivers. The scheme is intended to boost safety for older drivers aged 75 or more. There has been concern that with an ageing population, there will be an increased risk from elderly drivers with inadequate skills.
    Read More
  • Infrastructure investment will help construction jobs
    February 23, 2012
    The construction equipment manufacturing industry has been hit hard by the recession worldwide. Profits for 2009 reveal the sharp drop in business that began escalating around the globe during the third quarter of 2008. The problems have been most acute in the market for compact utility equipment
    Read More
  • Construction sector's quiet revolution for digital worksites
    February 8, 2017
    The digital worksite topped the agenda at this year’s CECE congress. David Arminas reports from the Czech capital Prague* Europe’s equipment manufacturers and their clients are truly in an age of transformation driven by an increasing move towards the digital worksite. Because this transformation is so deep, there looms big challenges for the entire sector and its supply chain, noted Bernd Holz, president of the CECE – Committee for European Construction Equipment, Europe’s umbrella organisation for
    Read More
  • Over 1,300 US child road crash deaths in one year
    April 23, 2012
    A total of 1,314 American children aged 14 and under died in US road crashes in 2009, according to new research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The NHTSA said 179,000 injuries had also been caused to the same child age group following 2009 crashes. The agency says safety seats in passenger cars had been found to reduce the risk of crash deaths for children of four-years-old and below by 54%, and infants by 71%.
    Read More

Highlighted Content