Breathalysers - New French Driving Regulations
From 1st July 2012 there's a new addition to the list of things you'll need to take with you if you intend to drive to, or indeed just through, France.
The new law requires drivers of all vehicles (except mopeds) to carry single use disposable breathalyser kits.
Although the regulations require drivers to carry one breathalyser kit, the general advice is to carry two kits so that once one test is used, you still have one remaining to satisfy the law.
Information recently released by the French police suggests that they will be carrying out spot checks on foreign drivers leaving the channel tunnel and ferry ports.
At the time of writing, the police have stated that they will delay fines to foreign drivers until November 2012 because the kits have become short in supply, however the law is officially in force from the 1st July 2012.
Although you'll probably avoid the fine prior to November, it's likely that your spot check will go a lot smoother if you have the kit with you and the delay to your journey will be minimal.
When you purchase your breathalyser kits, make sure that they carry an "NF" number as this demonstrates that they meet the standards acceptable to the French Police.
Why Have They Changed The Rules? The French Police hope to save around 500 lives a year with this new law, requiring motorists to carry these tests with them when they drive.
The idea is that motorists are more likely to test themselves to see if they are over the limit before they set off and may choose not to drive if they discover they're still over the limit.
The most common cause of accidental drink driving (i.
e.
driving over the limit without realising that you're breaking the law) is driving first thing in the morning after going out the night before.
The French drink driving limit is only 50mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood, which is much lower that the British limit of 80mg.
For an accurate reading, you must test at least 40 minutes after your last alcoholic drink.
What Else Will I Need? Here's a list of what's required to drive in France which is up to date as at the time of writing:
If you have a satellite navigation system which shows the location of speed cameras then go into the settings and switch off this functionality whilst you're in France.
The fine is a hefty 1,500 Euros.
by Rachel Roodhardt
The new law requires drivers of all vehicles (except mopeds) to carry single use disposable breathalyser kits.
Although the regulations require drivers to carry one breathalyser kit, the general advice is to carry two kits so that once one test is used, you still have one remaining to satisfy the law.
Information recently released by the French police suggests that they will be carrying out spot checks on foreign drivers leaving the channel tunnel and ferry ports.
At the time of writing, the police have stated that they will delay fines to foreign drivers until November 2012 because the kits have become short in supply, however the law is officially in force from the 1st July 2012.
Although you'll probably avoid the fine prior to November, it's likely that your spot check will go a lot smoother if you have the kit with you and the delay to your journey will be minimal.
When you purchase your breathalyser kits, make sure that they carry an "NF" number as this demonstrates that they meet the standards acceptable to the French Police.
Why Have They Changed The Rules? The French Police hope to save around 500 lives a year with this new law, requiring motorists to carry these tests with them when they drive.
The idea is that motorists are more likely to test themselves to see if they are over the limit before they set off and may choose not to drive if they discover they're still over the limit.
The most common cause of accidental drink driving (i.
e.
driving over the limit without realising that you're breaking the law) is driving first thing in the morning after going out the night before.
The French drink driving limit is only 50mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood, which is much lower that the British limit of 80mg.
For an accurate reading, you must test at least 40 minutes after your last alcoholic drink.
What Else Will I Need? Here's a list of what's required to drive in France which is up to date as at the time of writing:
- Twin Pack of Single Use Breathalysers (Marked NF)
- Your original registration documents and insurance certificate
- GB Sticker (if your registration number doesn't have a GB mark)
- Warning triangle - although it's not mandatory to carry a warning triangle, it is mandatory to display one in the event of an accident or breakdown.
- Reflective Jacket - mandatory for the driver, good sense for your passengers
- Headlamp converter kit - the legal requirement is not to dazzle oncoming vehicles or risk a fine.
Make sure that the kit you have is suitable for all vehicles.
British headlights are positioned for driving on the left, the adapters divert the light for driving on the opposite side of the road.
If you have a satellite navigation system which shows the location of speed cameras then go into the settings and switch off this functionality whilst you're in France.
The fine is a hefty 1,500 Euros.
by Rachel Roodhardt