Introduction - In France, as in other European countries, road traffic injuries are recorded by law enforcement agencies; however, unlike fatalities, these figures are incomplete and biased. Method - The existence of a second source of data—medical records—in the Rhône department makes it possible to estimate the comprehensive toll of road traffic injuries in France using capture-recapture and projection methods. Results - Between 1996 and 2004, an estimated annual average of 514,300 people were injured, including 137,000 hospitalized, 60,800 seriously injured (New Injury Severity Score NISS 9+), and 7,500 with major sequelae (Injury Impairment Scale IIS 3+). The analysis reveals that the number of seriously injured motorcyclists is now as high as that of seriously injured motorists (around 20,000), and the number of seriously injured cyclists is as high as that of pedestrians (around 6,000). Men and young people (aged 15–29) are at significantly higher risk. Conclusion - Data collected by law enforcement alone is insufficient to quantify the number of road traffic injuries, regardless of the severity of the injury. This study indicates that there are as many people with major long-term effects as there are fatalities. Users of motorized two-wheelers, in particular, pay a heavy price, even more so in terms of serious injuries and major long-term effects than in terms of deaths. (R.A.)