The Association Prévention Routière was set up in 1949 by insurance, automobile and oil companies. While insurance companies still have an important role, Association Prévention Routière has attracted more and more members, including companies and individuals who are willing to support its activities on a regular basis. Currently, APR has around 230,000 members, 30,000 of whom are companies and 200,000 individuals. These members contribute to 70% of its budget, the rest being equally divided between municipalities and insurers.
The main aim of the association is to "study and implement all measures available to reduce the frequency and the severity of road accidents". To attain this objective, Association Prévention Routière is active in several fields:
Education: Each year, nearly 2 million children and teenagers are taught the basic road safety rules and how to protect themselves when on the move. Several documents and files are produced for teachers, and hundreds of road safety instructors are trained every year.
Information: Every year, public campaigns and press debates are organised to increase the awareness of politicians, citizens, media, etc. APR 's main staff participate regularly in TV, radio and press debates on road safety.
Firms: Information and training sessions are organised each year with firms of all sizes to develop a "road safety culture" regarding the journey to and from work as well as business trips.Special sessions are also organised on car fleet management.
Other actions: Many campaigns are organised each year to promote road safety, targeting novice drivers, senior drivers, municipalities, etc.
Proposals and initiatives: The Association Prévention Routière Française is seen as a laboratory for new proposals and as a driving force for reform in all disciplines of road safety. Several of its initiatives have been included in public policies during the last ten years.
The APR has 101 local committees all over France, which initiate local actions but also constitute a strong network to carry out the national actions decided by the National Committee based in Paris. The Association Prévention Routière Française employs 300 staff, half of them part-time. Another 3,000 people work for APR on a voluntary basis. The Board of Directors includes representatives from victims' associations, from the powerful Association of Municipalities, mayors,major road professionals and insurance companies. Close links are maintained with public authorities at all levels and with the governmental "Sécurité Routière" to co-ordinate actions and campaigns.
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