Drome. Delinquency, drug trafficking and road safety: the 2024 results revealed

“The year 2024 in the Drôme was marked by an alternation of moments of celebration and tensions”: this is how the prefect Thierry Devimeux introduced the 2024 report published by state services in the department. In his editorial, the senior official recalls “ moments of pride who illustrated the strength of social bonds and collective commitment.”

Among the highlights, “we will particularly remember the passage of the Olympic flamean exceptional moment which illuminated our lands, as well as the visit of the President of the Republic on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Liberation, a solemn and moving event which recalled the importance of our common history,” lists the prefect.

“The year has not been without its share of challenges”

Thierry Devimeux emphasizes, however, that “the year was not without its share of challenges. The distress of the agricultural world first of all required my full attention, to manage public order problems, but also to provide answers to their concerns.”

The senior official also thinks “ settling scores between bands and the establishment of the Republican Action Force (FAR)announced by Gabriel Attal, which marked a turning point in the fight against insecurity and drug trafficking.”

Here are the key figures for 2024 concerning public safety and that on the roads of Drôme.

A drop in delinquency

The year 2024 was characterized by a drop in delinquency in Drôme thanks to reinforced action by law enforcement. It translates to a sharp drop in property crimes – 6.1% throughout Drôme (- 8.9% in the police zone and – 3.6% in the gendarmerie zone) and a contained increase in attacks on people (AVIP) of + 2.4% throughout Drôme (- 0.1% in police zone; + 5.7% in gendarmerie zone).

The deployment of the Republican Action Force (FAR) in Valencia in 2024 resulted in the implementation of numerous actions.

The police presence has been reinforced, thanks to the CRS83, increased police numbers, the creation of a local security group (GSP) and the reopening of the national police branch of Fontbarlettes.

20 additional cameras

The judicial response was strengthened, with the arrival of a new magistrate at the Valencia judicial court and an “organized delinquency” mission manager to the public prosecutor. The number of cameras has been increased, with 20 additional camerasof which 18 are already operational.

After almost a year of implementation in Valencia, the results of the FAR are particularly encouraging. It translated into a drop in delinquency in the neighborhoods of Valencia : – 23.5% of general delinquency incidents in 2024 and – 19% of intentional attacks on physical integrity in 2024.

The fight against drug trafficking

The year 2024 was marked by a strengthening of the work of law enforcement to fight against drug trafficking, notably a systematic shelling of deal points.

The increase in drug seizures was significant with 9 kg of cocaine, 25 kg of heroin, 196.5 kg of cannabis seized by the internal security forces (police and gendarmerie) and 1053.9 kg of cannabis by customs.

Also note the increase in anti-narcotics operations which has enabled the dismantling of several trafficking operations. They were the name of 393 in zone police et 140 and gendarmerie zone.

They are accompanied by a increase in the number of tort fixed fines concerning narcotics since 1 009 AFD were drawn up by the police and the gendarmerie, i.e. + 58.7% compared to 2023.

Road safety: an overwhelming assessment

Concerning road safety, the results are less rosy. In 2024, 40 people found their deaths on the roads of Drôme, either 13 more killed than last year.

Irresponsible behavior has caused 309 bodily accidents including 39 fatal accidents and 395 people injured, of whom 188 were hospitalized.

On this point, the year 2024 joins that of 2018 which also saw 40 road deaths, without equaling the sad record of 2015 with 46 deaths.

“The accident factors are known and multiple (speed, alcohol or drug consumption, risky behavior, distractors, fatigue, etc.) but, in Drôme, in no way linked to road infrastructure,” according to the prefecture.

The main causes fatal accidents in Drôme in 2024 are:

• speed (15 deaths or 38.5%)
• blood alcohol (9 deaths or 23%) and narcotics (5 deaths or 13%)
• inattention (8 deaths or 21%)

Mainly on the secondary network

The Drôme has a very dense motorway and road network of international importance, and a significant length, mainly made up of departmental roads and municipal roads, representing nearly 12 232 km.

This main secondary network mesh supports daily traffic of 1,603 vehicles/day. In total, 32 fatal accidents occurred on departmental roads and three fatal accidents on municipal roads.

To get to work, 82% of Drômois use their own vehicle compared to 70.4% nationally.

The profile of the victims

Road victims are80% of men and to70% of Drômois. In 2024, 20 motorists, seven pedestrians, six motorcyclists and four cyclists have lost their lives on the department's roads.

Of the people who died, six were aged 18 to 24, seven were aged 25 to 34, and seven people were aged 55 to 64. Those over 65 are the most affected by mortality in soft mobility.

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