VINCI Autoroutes’ operating teams work round the clock to ensure user safety and quality of service on its motorways. All VINCI Autoroutes’ maintenance and safety teams use latest-generation tools and information systems to improve their efficiency. The PaCo (Patrouilleur Connecté, or connected patroller) app allows motorway personnel out on call to report geolocated information as well as photos and videos to the safety control and traffic news centres.
The centres themselves use Cockpit, a tool that aggregates the data collected by VINCI Autoroutes in real time and compares it with partner data (notably using community apps), enabling clients to receive next-generation traffic news broadcasts through various channels (see Traffic News below).
Although motorways are five times safer than other roads, year after year accident rates prove that inattention due to drowsiness, fatigue or, especially, distracted driving endanger patrollers. On 5 April 2022, a VINCI Autoroutes employee was hit and killed by a heavy vehicle as he was assisting a driver who had broken down on the A9 motorway. Fifty-nine response vehicles were hit in 2022 on the VINCI Autoroutes network. During the summer, the VINCI Autoroutes Foundation ran a touring campaign “Quand allez-vous percuter ?” (When is it going to hit home?) to encourage drivers to be alert and keep their eyes on the road. The campaign included exhibiting accident-damaged patrol vans at 17 of the network’s service areas. A digital version of this hard-hitting campaign also reached a large audience via social media, notching up over 40 million views. VINCI Autoroutes also runs year-round awareness-raising campaigns in its service areas and via the motorway media. It mostly reminds drivers about the safety lane rule, which they must all respect when approaching patrollers on call at the side of a road, expressway or motorway. VINCI Autoroutes created the first safety lane road sign and obtained regulatory approval to test the sign at seven sites on its network.
Lastly, to improve the initial and ongoing training of its staff, in 2022 VINCI Autoroutes created the École des Métiers de l’Autoroute (School of motorway professions, or EMA), the first training centre in France for motorway surveillance, maintenance and security personnel. In 2023, more than 80 road agents will receive training in motorway professions, and especially on-scene response protocols.
2.8 m listeners on average tune into Radio VINCI Autoroutes on heavy traffic days.
