Number of road deaths falls

THE number of deaths on French roads has dropped beneath the government’s target of 5,000, the minister of transport has announced.

Dominique Perben said that 4,990 people died in traffic related accidents in 2005, the first time the figure has been below 5,000.

In comparison the number of people killed in road accidents on UK roads in 2004 was 3,221.

The French government has said it will continue to drive down the figure after recently launching a campaign to promote designated drivers.