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.