Road risk: only 21% of SME managers know it's the leading cause of work-related deaths

The 11th MMA–Ifop barometer[1] on occupational road risk reveals a still limited awareness of this issue among managers of companies with 1 to 49 employees. Only 21% identify road risk as the leading cause of work-related fatalities, while 78% admit to having already engaged in at least one dangerous driving behavior.

The 11th MMA–Ifop barometer dedicated to occupational road risk highlights a still limited knowledge of this issue among the managers of very small, small and medium-sized enterprises.

Key figures from the MMA–Ifop barometer

21% of managers identify road risk as the leading cause of work-related deaths

78% admit to having already engaged in at least one dangerous driving behavior

25% have implemented prevention measures for their employees

51% integrate road risk into their single risk assessment document

40% would like more support on this subject

424 work-related travel deaths in 2024

In 2024, 43% of people who died on the roads of metropolitan France lost their lives in an accident involving at least one user making a work-related journey.

In total, 424 people died while making a work-related journey: 314 on a journey between their home and their workplace and 110 during a business trip ^[2].

Despite this reality, only 21% of the managers surveyed are aware that road risk is the leading cause of fatal workplace accidents. This proportion has increased by three points compared to 2025, but remains four points lower than that measured in 2016.

A better understanding of the responsibility of leaders

The barometer nevertheless reveals an improvement in certain indicators. For example, 77% of managers know that they can be held liable in the event of an accident occurring during a work-related journey, eight points higher than in 2025.

They are also 52% aware that they can be held responsible in the event of an accident during a commute to work, a proportion that has increased by seven points in one year.

The integration of road risk into the single risk assessment document (DUER) is also progressing. It now concerns 51% of the managers surveyed, 30 points more than in 2016.

Nearly eight out of ten executives acknowledge risky behavior

When asked about their own practices during business trips, 78% of executives stated that they had already adopted at least one dangerous driving behavior.

The behaviors mentioned in the barometer are as follows:

58% report having already used their phone while driving, particularly to make calls, check notifications or messages and use applications or social networks;
56% admit to having already exceeded the speed limits;
33% have already driven while tired or drowsy;
27% report having already consulted or used their phone while driving;
9% have already driven after consuming alcohol;
3% after taking medication incompatible with driving.

These results highlight a gap between the perception of occupational road risk and the practices reported by managers.

One in four companies has taken preventive action

Only 25% of managers report having implemented road safety prevention measures for their employees. This proportion reaches 39% among those whose employees have already been involved in a work-related road accident.

According to MMA, this gap shows that prevention measures are still often only taken after an accident has occurred.

Among companies that have taken steps to prevent accidents, 81% regularly check the vehicles made available to employees, six points higher than in 2025. 77% also check the validity of employees' driving licenses before their first trips.

Measures related to work organization and awareness remain less frequent. Among the managers who have implemented such actions:

55% have reduced employee travel in order to limit their exposure to road risk, 11 points more than in 2025;
43% have established a code of good driving practices, up three points;
37% broadcast awareness messages, an increase of five points;
35% offer awareness or eco-driving training, a proportion that has increased by three points.

At the time of the survey, only 5% of managers had planned road safety awareness actions for the year 2026.

Demand for support is growing rapidly.

A quarter of the managers surveyed stated that they had already benefited from awareness training or education on occupational road risk.

At the same time, 40% want more support regarding the issues and rules applicable to road risk in the workplace. This proportion has almost doubled compared to 2025, when it stood at 21%.

[1] Study conducted by Ifop for the insurer MMA with a sample of 250 business leaders, representative of French companies with 1 to 49 employees. The representativeness of the sample was ensured using the quota method. The questionnaire was administered by telephone at the respondents' workplaces, from March 30 to April 14, 2026.

[2] Source: figures from the National Interministerial Road Safety Observatory (ONISR) for the year 2024.

Image illustrating the article via Depositphotos.com.