Badly maintained roads in France - can you get compensation if your car is damaged? The process depends on the circumstances that caused the damage
Changes aim to reduce cycling accidents in France A new report has issued recommendations on how road users can share the ‘public highway’ more effectively
How ‘friendly’ are drivers in France compared to the US and UK France did not make the ranking’s top five…
news Driving getting safer in France, suggest January 2025 road safety statistics Fewer drivers, motorcyclists, and cyclists died last month - but more pedestrians lost their lives
‘Dutch roundabouts’ now installed in France: how do they work? The roundabouts are designed to make roads safer for cyclists
Road accidents in France: Mixed figures for October 2024 Newly-released data shows an increase in deaths as winter conditions set in
Alcohol, drugs: Rising main causes of fatal motorway crashes in France Mixing alcohol and drugs with medication was also a major factor, and ‘drivers are taking more risks’, a road safety association states
Debate on older drivers reignites as woman, 83, crashes into French children Seven of the 12 children on bikes were injured, sparking new calls for older people to have to face medical checks to keep driving
Why do people in France say they are Sam when they are called Jacques? A TV campaign to curb drink-driving led to people calling themselves Sam on a Saturday night
End of car insurance stickers in France: what happens in an accident? Accident forms still require information from green vignettes
Drivers crash after teens drop concrete blocks onto French motorway The four accused perpetrators have now appeared in court
MAP: Where are drivers most likely to have an accident in France? Where are the most dangerous places to drive in France? We take a look at the data
Drivers who pushed over cyclists ‘for fun’ in France sentenced The men drove up alongside cyclists and hit them in a bid to unbalance their bikes
What is a constat amiable and do I legally need one in my French car? It is highly recommended to carry this document in case of an accident
French MP wants debate on ‘fit-to-drive’ medicals for over 75s The draft bill proposing medicals every five years has been called profoundly unfair by a drivers’ group
Should older drivers in France face medical tests to stay on the road? The debate was reignited after the vehicle of an elderly driver ploughed into a crowd in northern France, injuring a dozen people
Calls for harder line on drug driving after French actor’s crash The Pierre Palmade cocaine crash – which led to the death of a pregnant passenger’s baby – has shocked France, and reignited calls for harsher punishments for drug-drivers
Central France department is latest to return to 90km/h speed limit Authorities there say speed bears little relation to accident levels
Black boxes now in all new cars in France; what data do they collect? These devices can be used to help explain what happened in the case of an accident
Bird mess, fake restaurants: Six scams to watch out for in France From fake emails to accident set-ups, and restaurants that don’t exist, here are some of the most recent scams in France to beware of
Should older drivers in France be required to take a medical test? The long-running debate has been relaunched by campaigner and tennis Paralympian Pauline Déroulède, who lost her leg in 2018 after an accident caused by a 92-year-old
69% of drivers polled admit to using phone while driving in France The figure has prompted a warning from the road security agency and an invitation to not use phones on February 6-8
Row over plans for five new speed radars on Ile de Ré The prefect says it is justified as the 35km-long island has the highest number of fatal accidents in the Charente-Maritime. Only one camera will be in use at a time but drivers will not know which
Tesla taxi driver in fatal crash case faces manslaughter investigation The man’s lawyer claims that the car’s brake pedal became stuck as the car spun out of control, killing one and injuring many others
What should you do if you collide with a wild animal when driving? IF YOU run down an animal such as a wild boar or a deer there are procedures to be respected, especially if you want your insurance to pay up for damage to the car.
How to obtain advice after a car accident injury in France? Victim support groups or a lawyer who specialises in accidents and compensation are best for advice following a car accident injury in France
What are rules should I hit a deer or boar while driving in France? There are certain steps that drivers involved in such collisions should take to ensure that the road is made safe and that – if relevant – they can claim on their insurance
Has France’s driving licence points system saved lives? Political journalist Éric Zemmour has called the points-based driving licence system a ‘useless, state racket’, but the government claims it has made roads much safer
Why road accident reduction in France is not entirely good news Official figures published this week showed number of road accidents went down by nearly 20% between 2010 and 2019, but that European target was still way off
Nearly 30,000 people victims of uninsured drivers in France in 2020 Most uninsured drivers are men under 35 on low incomes, and can face paying sums running into millions of euros if they cause road accidents
Black boxes to be mandatory in new cars in France from 2022 The data recorders store information about driving conditions that will help police understand how accidents happen
French driver found seven times over legal alcohol limit The 58-year-old man had drunk 12 litres of beer, a bottle of pastis, and a bottle of rosé - and did not have a licence
Driving a UK car in France: Do I need an accident form? In The Connexion October edition, we answer a reader question: Am I required to carry an accident form in my car?
Odd sights on French roads: A 400kg bull and tractor caravan It has been a week of strange sights on French roads, after police reported finding both a Peugeot 206 carrying a 400 kg live bull, and a German tractor pulling a caravan for hundreds of kilometres.
Coronavirus: road death toll halved during lockdown While the number of high-speed offences and accidents increased.
Drivers using phones in France now risk losing licence Drivers in France who use their mobile phones while driving now risk losing their driving licence for up to six months, plus fines, and points on their licence - as a long-debated law comes into force.
Drivers in France ‘should get Covid insurance refunds’ Car drivers in France should get money back on their car insurance - worth €2.2 billion - to account for the major drop in vehicle usage during Covid-19 confinement, consumer group UFC-Que Choisir has said.
Safety fears in France as number of ‘MOT tests’ falls The number of cars in France is rising – but the number of contrôle technique (CT) tests undertaken is falling.
Slow down... for a good laugh He has been dubbed the worst fake gendarme in France but the motorcycle ‘cop’ warning drivers to slow down in this village seems to be doing his job.
Road deaths in France up almost 10% in January The number of people who died on the roads in France jumped by almost 10% in January this year compared to January last year, a contrast to the “historically low” numbers seen in 2019.
Driver speeding at 230kph arrested in central France A driver doing more than 230kph in an 80kph zone - more than 150kph over the speed limit - has been stopped and arrested by gendarmerie in central France.
French drivers welcome new ‘peanut-shaped roundabout’ A new “peanut-shaped roundabout” in north-west France is proving popular among motorists, who say it is safer and easier to use than a normal roundabout or crossroads.
France had ‘historic low’ of 3,239 road deaths in 2019 There was a “historically low” number of road deaths in France in 2019, according to interior minister Christophe Castaner, as debates over safety and speed limits continue.
Car insurance in France rises to €615 yearly average The cost of car insurance in France is on the rise, with drivers paying an average of €615 per year, as Ile-de-France is named the most expensive region, and Marseille the most expensive city overall.
Driver bills department council for speed bump damage Traffic calming measure caused thousands of euros of damage to vehicle
French village uses dark humour signs to stop speeding A mayor in the north of France has installed some darkly comedic additions to the usual speed limit signs on a major road in his commune, to warn speeding drivers to slow down.
Speeding French car caught after running out of petrol A driver whose car was spotted doing 240kph in a 90kph area in southeast France and became involved in a police chase was finally caught after the vehicle ran out of petrol.
Speed is not the danger on French roads I read with interest, and glee, that drivers who hog the middle and/or the outside autoroute lanes will be fined.
French nature group: ‘Drop motorway limit to 100kph’ Reducing speed limits by as much as 30kph on French motorways as a way to “protect the environment” and “improve public transport” would be a “winning strategy”, a French environmental group has said.
Hunting bullet shoots moving car in central France A driver and passenger who narrowly missed being shot in the head when a hunting bullet pierced through their car in a forest in central France have made a formal complaint to local police.
French city Marseille holds uninsured vehicle record A record one in five vehicles in the southern city of Marseille is being driven without insurance, it has emerged, just over a week after it was confirmed that speed cameras will now track uninsured vehicles.
Should a medical test be needed to drive in old age? More than 800 people aged 65-plus, including pedestrians, died in road accidents in 2018, compared to 503 adults aged 18-24, official French government figures show.
Drivers in France no longer need breathalyser kits Drivers in France will no longer be obliged to carry breathalysers in their vehicles at all times, as the discredited and ignored law that required it has finally been formally scrapped.
Praise due for drivers In 1972, road deaths in France exceeded 16,500. By 2018, bearing in mind more cars on more and faster roads, the figure (dependant on which source you use) is 3,488.
Rising death toll among cyclists in France Number of cyclist deaths on French roads has risen 2.4% a year since 2010, official figures reveal
French e-scooter users ‘must be licensed and insured’ Electric scooters ( trottinettes ) in France should have licence plates, require driver insurance, and must require the real name and details of anyone hiring them, a victims’ campaigning association has said.
French driver who lost trailer only notices 90km later A driver who lost a trailer carrying three motorbikes on a French motorway did not realise it had come unhitched, until the gendarmerie alerted them a further 90km down the road.
French cars can now be fined in Ireland and Sweden Drivers with French licence plates on their vehicle now risk a fine at home if they are caught speeding in two more countries - Ireland and Sweden - in addition to the 18 other nations already on the list.
Map of France shows roads changing speed back to 90kph A map of departments in France that could change the speed limit from 80 kph to 90 kph on certain roads has been published, with the Haute-Marne (Grand-Est) the first to make the leap.
Drivers in France warned over phone use while driving Drivers in France are being warned over using their mobile phone while driving, with rising numbers of motorway accidents being linked to illegal mobile use while on the road.
Beware the dangers of automatic car washes On a recent trip to France, we decided to put our car through an automatic car wash at a supermarket in Brittany, close to our second home.
Drivers using phones in France may risk losing licence Drivers in France who are caught using their mobile device while driving could soon face losing their licence with immediate effect.
France rules out health checks on older drivers Drivers over the age of 75 in France will not be required to have a medical exam in order to keep their driver’s licence, in contrast to some other Europe countries, it has been confirmed.
Roads in France on traffic alert as holidays begin Roads across France - especially towards the south and the coasts - will be especially busy this weekend as severe traffic alerts are issued due to the start of the summer holiday season.
‘Safety issues’ for 25,000 bridges in France At least 25,000 bridges in France have “safety issues”, a new report from senators has found, less than a year after the Morandi bridge collapse disaster in Genoa, Italy.
France votes potential return to 90 kph on some roads The French Assembly has voted in favour of potentially reversing the 80 kph speed limit drop from 90 kph on some departmental roads, almost a year after the controversial measure was introduced.
Paris tourist bus driver intentionally runs over man The driver of a tourist bus in Paris is suspected of intentionally running over and killing a car driver after an argument, as tourists were still sitting inside the bus.
Game of drones on France's autoroutes Police issue a fine every two minutes during two-hour drone operation at an accident blackspot
French court rules margin of error for drink-driving A margin of error must be taken into consideration in all drink-driving cases, a court in France has ruled.
EU vehicles could soon have accident ‘black boxes’ All new vehicles in the European Union could soon be equipped with “black boxes” that record journey data that could be used in the event of an accident, in the same style as aeroplane flight recorders.
France speed camera damage ‘cost €660m and death rise’ The destruction of speed cameras across France has cost the State €660 million from 2018 to 2019, and may also been linked to a 17% rise in road deaths to February 2019, official figures show.
Safety, not speed, is key Re: articles on the 80kph new speed limits... how many accidents have been caused by vehicles driving too close to the one in front?
Drivers risk €35 fine at new pedestrian buffer zones Drivers in France now face a €35 fine if their vehicle strays into new “buffer zones” in front of pedestrian road crossings, which may now be introduced by local mayors.
Doubt over French PM claim that 80kph saved 116 lives French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has claimed that 116 lives have been saved on the roads since the introduction of the 80 kph speed limit in July 2018; but that figure has already been questioned.
