Background Road safety in France’s overseas territories remains poorly documented due to fragmented and delayed data collection. Although these territories account for only about 3% of the French population, they are strategically important, and exhibit marked socio-demographic and spatial heterogeneity. Objective This study examines differences in road fatality risk between France’s overseas territories and a comparable metropolitan island region, Corsica, and identifies key risk factors across these territories. Methods Descriptive analyses characterise regional contexts, while a multivariate logistic model estimates the probability of fatal crashes, controlling for casualty, behaviour, crash, socio-economic factors and regional diversity. Regional-specific models capture local heterogeneity. Results The results show that regional differences persist after adjustment. The odds ratios (OR) for fatal accidents are highest in Guadeloupe (OR = 2.24) and French Guiana (OR = 2.29), and lowest in Réunion (OR = 1.70) and Martinique (OR = 1.76). Accidents occurring in sparsely populated areas, at night, on major roads and involving vulnerable road users are more likely to be fatal. Regional-specific models largely confirm these trends, despite reduced statistical power and with some local variations. The role of socio-territorial deprivation appears to vary across regions. This suggests that the relationships between social vulnerability, population density and mobility conditions are complex and require nuanced, locally grounded analyses, to be fully understood. Conclusion These findings underline the need for region-specific road safety strategies. Improved data quality, enhanced governance and equitable mobility solutions are essential to reduce fatalities and bring regional safety in line with national standards.
Haddak et al. (Tue,) studied this question.