If you’re visiting France this year or any time from now on, you should make sure that you are aware of the new driving rules that are now in use in France if you are planning on driving during your trip.
Next weekend will be one of the busiest for British holidaymakers as they head abroad fr the school summer holidays. France is one of the most popular destinations for families too with it being cheap to travel to and being home to Disneyland in Paris among many other reasons.
Many families travelling to France find that it is cheaper and more convenient to drive to France and to use their own vehicle, which makes it even more important to be aware of these rules so that you don’t find yourself with expensive and unexpected fines.
New Speed Limit
From July 1st, the speed limit has changed for secondary D roads. Previously, the limit had been 90Kph or 55mph but this has now been reduced to 80Kph or 50mph. If you are found to be breaking the speed limit, the maximum fine is $750 or around £670.
Mobile Phones
This may not be such a difficult law to abide by as it is one that we are already used to in the UK. Driving whilst using a mobile phone is illegal. It is actually illegal to even have your engine running whilst you are using a handheld mobile phone. If you must pull over to the side of the road or even in an actual parking place to use your phone, you must make sure that you turn off the engine to avoid the fine. Better still, just put your phone away until you have completed your journey. Not complying with this law will land you with a €135 or £120 fine!
Headphones
It is also illegal to wear headphones whilst driving on the D roads in France. Although this sounds a little extreme, it is a necessary move to implement these 3 driving restrictions due to the numbers of fatalities on the D roads in the country.
If you are new to driving in France, you may find that it is a little easier to follow these new rules as you won’t be familiar with the old ones. If you’ve been driving in France for a while, you may need to exercise a little more caution whilst driving. Look out for signs so that you are aware of the speed limit.
Emergency Number
If you need to contact the emergency services in France, remember that it is 112. Lots of tourists incorrectly believe it to be 111 like it is in the UK, so remember the different last digit if you do find yourself in need of the emergency services on your travels.
