In 2018, the road safety office recorded 3,248 deaths in accidents throughout the country. More than 2,000 of those came on roads outside towns and cities.
In 2019 there were 3,239 fatalities, according to figures released on Saturday.
"The fall is the result of a proactive policy," he added during his tour near a motorway passing near the town 30km south of Paris. "But there are still more than 3,000 deaths too many."
In 2013, 3,427 people lost their lives in road accidents. And statistics showing the number increasing led to Emmanuel Macron's government changing the speed restrictions from 90 to 80kmh in July 2018.
Policy
However Castaner's salute to the effectiveness of lower limits comes as regions consider reverting to the 90kmh limit.
French departments have retained control over the limits under the 2018 law.
"I'd simply ask the regions to look at the consequences of going back to 90kmh," Castaner added.
The road safety office's figures revealed a jump from 175 to 184 in the number of cyclists who died on the roads. And for the first time, 11 deaths of scooter users were recorded.
Daily news briefReceive essential international news every morning
Subscribe
