On 20 and 21 October 2017, before the start of the All Saint’s Day holidays, French motorway companies, the French Interdepartmental Roads Department (DIR), the police force and all their institutional partners are organising campaigns to raise awareness of the risks workers are exposed to daily on the road network.
This event is supported by the government and, in particular, the Minister of Transport, Élisabeth Borne, who will visit the special safety area set up at Place Vauban, in Paris's seventh arrondissement, on Friday 20 October from 9 a.m.
She will witness a dramatic crash test performed by a professional stuntman at 60km/h against a scrap van in the heart of the capital.
What is the aim? To raise awareness among the public and media of behaviours that put workers at risk (distractions, not maintaining a safe distance between vehicles, not obeying traffic signs or speed limits, using a mobile phone while driving and drowsiness).
APRR and AREA heavily involved in the campaigns
Ten APRR motorway workers based in the Ile-de-France region will be in attendance at the event in Paris 7ième with their vans and traffic signs.
Xavier Rigo, Chief Operating Officer of APRR, will be taking part in a seminar organised by the French Motorway Companies Association (ASFA) and the Transport Infrastructure Department (DIT), on the subject: " What steps should be taken to improve the safety of road and motorway workers?"
Other regional teams from the two motorway operators will speak at events at safety villages set up especially at major service areas of Beaune, on the A6 near Dijon, and L’Isle-d’Abeau, on the A43 in the Greater Lyon area.
The programme includes commentated exhibitions showing vans and equipment hit, collision simulators, awareness workshops on the themes of keeping to speed limits and obeying traffic signs, drink driving, driving under the influence of drugs and loss of attention, another factor that leads to many accidents on the road.
Along with these events, there will also be a massive media campaign on national and regional media and social networks.
Autoroute INFO (107.7 FM), APRR’s motorway radio, will broadcast a special multiplex programme from Paris, Lyon and Dijon.
Please support these initiatives and spread the word by any means. Thank you!
See the programme at www.personnel-autoroutes.fr(link is external)
