Two surveys on everyday traffic control enforcement reveal that 3 offences make up the bulk of the mass of offences reported (67%): speeding and seat belt offences on the rural road network under the supervision of the Gendarmerie, and "papers" and seat belt offences on the urban road network under the supervision of the National Police. Drinking and driving offences account for 3% of all offences reported (4% on the Gendarmerie network and 2% on the Police network), whereas surveys on drinking and driving behaviour indicate that less than 2% of drivers drive with a level of alcohol exceeding the legal limit (BAC=0,8 g/l ; BR.A.C.=0,4 mg/l). They also reveal that there is very little traffic control activity at night by the Police forces and not many in the open country controlled by the Gendarmerie. The main control activity of the Gendarmerie is concentrated on road sections through small and medium towns, which is in fact where the greatest accident risk lies according to regional road accident statistics. The traffic control of the Police stressed by the detection of "papers" offences, seems influenced by the policeman activities of social security surveillance. Analysis of the data collected also shows that the profile of traffic control is firstly shaped and structured by the type of road network under surveillance and by the type of vehicle, and that the daily and hourly variations reflect the interference of the way in which the police forces plan and organise their traffic control activities (which are, in fact, only one facet of police work). Finally, the different "offending-driving" groups reported reveal a global coherency between police control strategies and the most familiar forms of risk or driving offence, as well as the existence of new prevention target groups (especially speeding/women and seat belts/women). (A)
Abstract