France Toughness Traffic Law

Slowly, but surely, the noose is getting tighter around the necks of all those drivers who, up until now, felt that they can get away with one or two traffic law violations. For Europe, the change will start in France, who is currently working on what it hopes to be a game changing traffic legislation. One that targets one thing in particular: speeding.

The biggest, and possibly the soon to be the most disputed change is the banning of the radar detectors. Owning these devices, used to detect traffic cameras and police radars, will become a violation of the law once the new bill will be passed, and will cause severe headaches for those caught using them: an EUR1,500 fine and six penalty points.

The legislation also covers those who sell radar detectors and proposes they ought to be punished with an EUR30,000 fine and, in some cases, two years in prison.

Those who were hoping that they can still speed, despite the ban of the detectors, will have a harder time doing so as France plans to eliminate the signs which told motorists where the traffic cameras are located. Soon, the French will have to memorize the location of both the existing 2,800 fixed cameras and the extra 1,000 which will be installed by the end of next year.

For those caught speeding, the penalties will be toughened as well. Aside for the huge fines (that can reach EUR3,750), French authorities will also be able to jail the perpetrator for a period of up to three months.