Hands up if you’re hitting the road with your family this summer and heading on a French road trip?
More and more of us are choosing to drive, rather than fly to France and as with any holiday or journey it’s important to do your research and be prepared.
We’ve put together our top ten tips on driving in France…...here goes!
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Drive a lease car? You must get in touch with your lease company before you travel. They will provide you with a letter confirming you are the driver of the vehicle and that they give you permission to take the vehicle abroad as well as a VE103R Vehicle on Hire Certificate
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Don’t forget your hi-vis vests! You must carry a hi-vis vest for the driver and each passenger. This is to be worn in the event of breakdown and must be stowed in the vehicle (not in the boot).
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You also need to have a warning triangle in the car. Most new cars will have one fitted as standard but it’s your responsibility to check this. In the event of a breakdown / accident place the triangle a safe distance from your car as a warning to other vehicles.
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In France it is law to carry a spare bulb kit for your vehicle - French police deem it necessary to replace a bulb on the roadside.
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Modern car headlights are set up to point towards the nearside of the vehicle so a right-hand drive car on the right-hand side of the carriage way means could blind oncoming traffic at night. Fitting headlight beam adjusters sorts this issue
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All drivers and motorcyclists will have to carry a personal breathalyser kit, with at least two disposable testing units. Kits aren’t expensive but make sure the one you choose meets NF standards (some of the really cheap ones won’t!)
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France has a lower ‘drink-drive’ limit than England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The blood-alcohol limit is 80mg per 100ml of blood, however, in France it is 50mg per 100ml of blood. (The same as in Scotland). Furthermore, for drivers with less than three years' experience the alcohol limit has been lowered from 0.5 grams per litre to 0.2 grams.
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Speed limit signs, just like in the UK, aren’t always in place. As a general guideline, built up areas are usually 50kph, but can be reduced to 30 in residential areas. Trunk roads are 90kph in the dry and 80kph in the wet, while motorways are 130kph in the dry and 110kph in the wet
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Children under the age of 10 are not allowed to travel on the front seats of vehicles without using a special child restraint, unless there is no rear seat in the vehicle, or the rear seat is already occupied with children under 10, or there are no seat belts. Babies up to nine months in a rear-facing child seat are an exception to the rule also.
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Radar detectors used to hunt out mobile speed guns are illegal in France and if you’re caught carrying one – even in the boot – you’ll be met by very strict punishment.
The important thing to remember is to be vigilant when driving in Europe if you’re heading out there this summer….oh and drive on the right!! 