Category: Law

Paris Police Fines Thousands of French Car Drivers in New Traffic Curb

Police officials in the city of Paris, France, have fined almost 4,000 drivers for not respecting the traffic curb set by the city administration. The city of Paris enforced the deadliest traffic curb in over 20 years recently and fined all city drivers that tried to dodge the police. 

Transport chiefs made transport free for users and hosted a plan to limit cars with even-numbered plates. Around mid-morning, French media outlets reported that some 700 police officers around different areas of the city had fined around3,859 people for failing to respect the recent curb. 

A long list of exemptions was allowed in the ban to exempt delivery drivers, taxis and cars with at least 3 people in them. The government has hailed the move as a success and a revolution in the world of French cars. 

“This is a public health problem … we thank everyone who fell into line,” Transport Minister Frederic Cuvillier said.

“Most of the road users understand well that this operation has a direct impact on curbing pollution,” said police officer Jean-Pierre Meutelet at Porte Maillot on the northwestern edge of Paris.

More bans of such nature are in line to be implemented soon to put a curb on city traffic and pollution. 

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqMu_W-wA0s 

France Set to Scrap Bill Asking Drivers to Carry One Breathalyzer inside French Car

France is famous for its absurd laws, but we believe there will be one less law to worry about after the French Government decided to scrap the law requiring drivers to carry one breathalyzer inside their cars.

The controversial rule was first introduced in March 2013, after which all car owners in France were required to carry a breathalyzer in their cars at all times. The new transport bill by the French government will now dispose this law and will make arrangements for better policies.

The allowance for alcohol while driving is almost half of what it is across the Channel. The UK allows an alcohol limit of 0.8 mg/ml, while France only allows a limit of 0.5 mg/ml for adult drivers and a reduced limit of 0.2 mg/ml for young drivers.

Rod Dennis, the spokesperson for the RAC, responded to this news and mentioned, “While the law governing drivers carrying breathalyzers in France might be about to change, drivers heading across the Channel should still remember that the country has a much stricter drink-drive limit than in the UK – and anyone caught over the limit faces some very tough penalties.”

He further added, “The best advice is to never drink and drive, whether driving in France or elsewhere. For any driver that still chooses to, it still makes a lot of sense to carry a portable breathalyzer to check they are well below the relevant legal limit.”

Hunter Abbot, the Managing Director of a breathalyzer manufacturer called AlcoSense, also spoke on this issue and mentioned, “It is still a legal requirement to carry an NF-approved breathalyzer in the vehicle while driving in France and that will be the case for a while yet. With the French limit significantly lower than the English limit and the penalties harsher, it would still be advisable to carry a breathalyzer to test yourself while driving in France and avoid unintentionally drink driving.”

While the new laws are in process, all French car owners should have at least one breathalyzer with them at all times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csnVQCNrPWQ