Friday, January 29, 2021, Prime Minister Jean Castex asked the prefects to strengthen controls to ensure proper compliance with the curfew. For a week, in the Hérault, the police have been stepping up their operations. This Saturday, February 6, a vast control system was put in place on the A709, near Saint-Jean-de-Védas. From 6.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m., around twenty gendarmes screened the vehicles.
16% of vehicles checked in violation of the curfew
Out of 153 vehicles stopped, the gendarmes noted 24 violations of the curfew. “This represents 16% of the vehicles stopped. Last Thursday, we were at 5%, remarks Sébastien Bruche, commander of the departmental road safety squadron. This is not surprising since it was a control over the weekend. Some also think that they will fall through the cracks by taking the highway. This is not a dramatic figure, but a worrying one.“
With the generalization of the curfew at 6 p.m., the gendarmes did not notice an increase in refusals to comply. “As the curfew hour approaches, we just notice some more risky driving, especially on the highway, notes Sébastien Bruche. People are rushing to get into the nails. It is for this reason that we are rather benevolent until 6:30 p.m.“Another difference: among the people checked, many explain that they have returned from job.
A coordinated operation
If the police are increasing these control operations, their numbers are identical. The gendarmes therefore take the opportunity to ensure that the drivers’ papers are in order. In addition, this Saturday February 6, the Prefect, Jacques Witkowski, decided to take advantage of this device to concentrate several missions.
During this operation, were present the departmental road safety squadron, the company of Poussan, the motorized company of Clermont-l’Hérault, the motorized brigade of Castelnau-le-Lez, the cynophile brigade of Lunel as well as the customs.
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