DRIVING IN OR THROUGH FRANCE?

[JohnP]

New regulations of the Road Codes in France dated as of the 1st of July 2008

The inter-ministerial Committee for Road Safety (CISR) of February 13th, 2008 decided to make compulsory the presence and carrying in all vehicles of a High Visibility Jacket  and a Warning Triangle as of July 1st, 2008, following the example of a number of other European countries having already adopted this measure.

The objective is clear and that is to increase the safety of road users in emergency situations: the driver would be more visible when he gets out of his vehicle and when working on the broken-down vehicle.

High Visibility Jacket

This High Visibility Jacket, which must conform to EU Regulations,Directive 89/686/EEC of the council of December 21st, 1989, must be carried within the interior of the vehicle (and not in the boot). Once having put on the warning indicators the driver must put on the jacket before exiting the broken-down vehicle on or off the road.

This Jacket must also be in accordance with the technical rules defined in appendix II to article R.233-151 of the Labor law and to the european standard in 471 - Clothes of road marking with high visibility for professional usage.

Warning Triangle

The Warning Triangle must be carried in the vehicle (it can be in the boot). The driver is required to position it on the road 30 metres behind the vehicle or the obstacle to be indicated in order to be seen by other road users approaching the broken-down vehicle, immidiately upon exiting the vehicle. This Triangle must be of the agreed size and reflecting qualities as per the regulations of Geneva N27.

Its compliance with the Geneva regulations is shown by the CE mark affixed on the Triangle and its cover.

Fine

If you are stopped by the police or gendarmes and the vehicle is not equipped with these items then the driver can face a penalty of;

€90 per missing object and €180 if both are missing.

Are these regulations applicable to non-resident visitors crossing the French Territory?

Yes any vehicle in France - even one just crossing France on the way to say Spain is obliged to carry these items (Jacket and Triangle).

 

[fjmike]

Although very informative this posting is very rude in that JohnP does not quote the source from which he has cut and pasted.

 

http://www.seafrance.com/seafrance/opencms/uk/en/passenger/your_journey/driving_in_france.html

[JohnP]

fjmike

 

Thank you for the wrist smack. The information was provided in good faith to forum readers and I am sorry if the omission caused you offence.

 

I have to point out that you do not follow a web site address with hmtl unless the address is followed by a specific file name. Therefore your web link to "motorhometoday" does not work.

[michele]

Thanks John,

 

Just checking we have the lot .A timely reminder

[Randonneur]

I think that you will find that the jacket regulations have been postponed until 1st October. We were told this when we went to pick up our new motorhome as we had taken our jackets and triangle with us to swap over to the new vehicle.

[Clive]

I had better re-locate my hi-vis vest as its stored in the lower passenger door cupboard and cannot be accessed until one opens the door!. (Sprinter)

 

C.

 

[Don Madge]

Randonneur - 2008-07-25 8:32 AM

 

I think that you will find that the jacket regulations have been postponed until 1st October. We were told this when we went to pick up our new motorhome as we had taken our jackets and triangle with us to swap over to the new vehicle.

 

That's correct, I was trying to remember where I read it.

 

Although I've had the equipment in the van for many years I'm not sure whether they meets the current regulations. The triangles I've had for the last thirty years but the jackets are a bit more up to date than that.

 

I will have to get my act together as I shall be in France when the new regs come into force.

 

No doubt they will have a blitz. 8-) 8-)

 

Don

[Tomo3090]

It might be worth checking more closely which part of the safety regs your jacket is in. Some regs appertaining to professionals working in a hazardous area require a high viz jacket with sleeve flashes and specify the body length of the jacket. I don't know which they are but if anyone does can they clarify please. Meanwhile I'll check the interweb for info.

[Chucky]

Hi to All... I'm a new member so please be a little patient :-D, I've just been having a browse around and come across this 'thread', as a question related on this matter, I'm told that all drivers on the continent must now carry 2 'warning triangles', is this correct ?

[Guest Tracker]

We carry and always have, all the required kit for every country we intend passing through - bulbs, 2 triangle, spare spectacles, headlamp beam benders (fitted) and reflective jackets etc.

 

However no one has ever said before that the jackets need to be of a certain specification - just common or garden reflective jackets available almost anywhere - but cheapest in Spain!

 

More rules 'for our own protection' - wonderful!

 

 

[twooks]

Chucky - 2008-08-15 7:47 PM

 

Hi to All... I'm a new member so please be a little patient :-D, I've just been having a browse around and come across this 'thread', as a question related on this matter, I'm told that all drivers on the continent must now carry 2 'warning triangles', is this correct ?

 

'allo chuck (lol) and welcome !!

 

as I understand it 'the 2 triangles' is required in Spain, I think only for locals but I wouldn't like to argue the issue.

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/overseas/

http://www.drive-alive.co.uk/driving_tips.html

 

these sites give some info on individual country requirements, but what is required in one tends to spread to the others fairly quickly, like the need to carry hi-vis jackets

apart from the UK of course - who only become pedantic rule followers when it becomes law and seems incapable of applying that increasingly rare commodity known as 'common sense' to any other ideas

many of these driving regulations make a lot of sense and we tend to include them anyway [except the spare bulbs - which we carry but I wouldn't know what to do with them]

 

 

 

 

 

B-)

[maggyd]

Yes I knew of this and stocked our van a couple of years ago with jackets, triangle, spare bulbs, and first aid kit, but what I noticed this year was a few people travelling with the jackets draped over the back of their seats! ours are in a locker above driver and I wondered if we should of got them out.

[Mel B]

I keep our jackets in the passenger door pocket so we can get at them quickly if needed, the triangle is in the locker on the offiside of the vehicle. Do I get some 'house points' ... our jackets came with 2 very fetching yellow caps with fluorescent bands. :D

[Usinmyknaus]

When the European Transport Commissioner sees the news pictures of the flooded dual-carriageway underpass in Northern Ireland I expect new Regulations will soon require us to carry: an inflatable life-raft of a size sufficient for the number persons for which there are seat belts in the vehicle, distress flares, an emergency locator beacon and of course, life jackets of matching colour to the high-vis jackets currently on-board........... :-)

 

Bob

[horse444]

>:-( reading JP's entry I never found any part of it rude, but again it makes me wonder, (as I have many times on reading some of the replies) why I bother, do people get something out of being offensive and rude to members trying to be helpfull. OH TO BE PERFECT. *-)

[Chucky]

I'm told that the first aid kit must comply to DIN 13164, can anybody confirm this and does anybody know where can we find one reasonably priced

[Mel B]

horse444 - 2008-08-18 4:29 PM

 

>:-( reading JP's entry I never found any part of it rude, but again it makes me wonder, (as I have many times on reading some of the replies) why I bother, do people get something out of being offensive and rude to members trying to be helpfull. OH TO BE PERFECT. *-)

 

Noooo, the posting itself wasn't rude, it was very helpful in fact, what was suggested as being 'rude', in what I took to be a very minor way, was the omission of who had provided the information that JP had copied. It is only polite to give credit to the original provider of the information, that's all, nothing to get all hot and bothered about though and both posters seemed to take it in the vein in which it was meant which is a refreshing change! :-> It just goes to show how differently people can read postings, that's why I like smilies, at least they give an indication of how you mean your posting to come across. :-D

[Peter42]

I always try to remember to wear my reflective jacket at all times when driving on the continent. I know it makes me look like a delivery driver but my rationale is that, if involved in an accident, explosive blow-out or something similar, then in the 'shock' of it happening I might forget to don my jacket before exiting the vehicle. If I'm already wearing it then I have less to worry about.

Works for me. B-)

[horse444]

:-D I agree it was minor ommision, *-) I disagree in trying to belittle people.Not only on this occassion, but in many others,it does make for depression, so maybe we should all try and be polite and informative with a BIG SMILE :-D