From 1July new driving laws on French roads

[Chrissylizzie]

Hi everybody

I have read in today's Independent Traveller that from the 1st July all vehicles travelling in France must carry a warning triangle and reflective jacket in case of breakdown. Failure to do so carries a fine of £75. Also exceeding speed limits carry heavy on-the-spot fines. It also states that breaking French driving laws could mean your UK driving licence being confiscated and your vehicle being temporarly impounded if no alternative driver with a valid licence is available.

Just a warning to anyone going to France soon.

Chris

 

[Robert_374242026]

I thought that came out couple of years ago as we bought the jackets then.

 

[Lutz]

No, hi-vis vests have not been a legal requirement in France until now.

 

[Guest]

It is another EU 'nutter' law. It is designed so the idiot (from Bulgaria or Romania and usually working for W...i B...z) tanking up the highway in his 44 ton truck can aim more accurately at you. The thinking is the drivers cannot see a large vehicle and caravan etc with reflectors, but will see a small dot squatting at the side.

Commonsense (don't expect that from the EU) states that you get off the road as far from the vehicle as is practical.

The French of course will only obey laws if they feel like it, so tourist watch out, another revenue scam coming your way.

 

[Lutz]

I don't know where you got the idea from that hi-vis vests have anything to do with the EU. It's up to each individual country to require them or not. About as many do as those that don't.

 

[davidinfrance]

I live in France. Yes, this law will be introduced on 1st July.

BUT PLEASE NOTE it is a requirement that the Hi-Vis vest is kept inside the car NOT in the boot.

Also the driver/person getting out of the car to attend to the breakdown MUST put the vest on before getting out of the car!!!!!!!!!

 

[ShadySadie]

I've always understood that in the event of breakdown, puncture or accident it is good safe practice for everyone in the vehicle to leave it and move to a safe spot away from it.

You would not jack tow car up with the passengers in it, so should there be a reflective jacket for all in the vehicle.

 

[Litespeed]

Hi, Does it mean that you are required to carry a High Viz vest for all passengers as well?

 

[Damian]

As far as I understand, yes you will need vests for every passenger, as they would be required to leave the vehicle in the event of a breakdown.

 

[MichaelE]

This is from the AA's website

Stop Press *

The introduction of the regulation concerning the compulsory carriage of a reflective jacket will now come in to force on the 1st October 2008 (initially this was due to be introduced on the 1st July 2008). It will be compulsory for all French registered vehicles to have a reflective safety jacket on board which must me kept inside the vehicle and it will also be compulsory to carry a warning triangle. The authorities are yet to confirm whether these requirements will apply to foreign registered vehicles. This advice will be updated as soon as confirmation is received.

 

[KnL]

In the interest of safety, it would make sense for the driver to wear a fluorescent/reflective safety vest for putting out a warning triangle or working close to the road eg. changing a wheel or directing traffic, and similarly, anyone assisting the driver, but surely they can't expect all other passengers to have to wear such equipment.

It should be sufficient to move all the other occupants well away from the road and the stricken vehicle.

We will probably get a definitive answer at some point, but personally I can't see every occupant (including babies and toddlers) being legislated against, however stranger rules have been known to come out of individual countries.

 

[weejock]

Ken the thing that I find most strange is this presumption that the person who cannot see 20 ft of caravan and 15ft of car is magically going to spot a yellow vest.

 

[Mick_price]

Ken the thing that I find most strange is this presumption that the person who cannot see 20 ft of caravan and 15ft of car is magically going to spot a yellow vest.

I did a one day "Drive and Survive" course a few years ago, all about defensive driving, keeping out of trouble and common sense practices to avoid damage to you and your car. One of the first things the instructor told us was to always have a hi-viz jacket in the car in case of breakdown, and despite all the comments in this thread implying it's not necessary, I actually think it's a damn good idea. In the half light or bad weather, anything that makes you more noticeable and reduces the risk of you being injured has to be worthwhile.

 

[trevgib]

Ken the thing that I find most strange is this presumption that the person who cannot see 20 ft of caravan and 15ft of car is magically going to spot a yellow vest.

Hi, Try this web site for all your info on driving in France

driving.drive-alive.co.uk/driving-in-france.htm

Trev

 

[trevgib]

Hi, Try this web site for all your info on driving in France

driving.drive-alive.co.uk/driving-in-france.htm

Trev

 

[Alex_374296729]

On the face of it the argument for wearing a reflective vest seems rather absurd, that if you cant see the caravan etc then how likely are you to see the vest.

Not so long ago I was driving up the M1 and somehow a car had hit the nearside barrier and spun round with its nose partially in the near side carriageway. I was so distracted by looking at the car, that I hardly noticed the man walking around the front of it. However if he had been wearing a reflective vest he would have stood out as the prominent feature.

On another point, all in the manual work environment wear these vests as a matter of course, so expect to see them, whereas they would miss someone who was not wearing it.