Allez Vite? Then take a spare driver

UK drivers taking an autumn break in France could face a long walk home if they are caught speeding according to the RAC Foundation.

A little known French law means that anyone stopped for exceeding the speed limit by more than 25 miles per hour can lose their licence on the spot and be forced to find another way home if no substitute driver is present.

While this law has been around for about five years, few visitors to France seem to be aware of it – and an increasing number of British motorists are finding themselves stranded with no way to get themselves or their vehicles home.

The RAC Foundation has received numerous calls from drivers who have found themselves on the wrong side of this law and, without any other way of getting their vehicle home, are looking at repatriation costs which can amount to thousands of pounds.

The law means that anyone caught speeding on a main road through a village at more than 56mph can face instant licence confiscation and fines. The confiscation is provisional pending a court hearing which can suspend the licence for up to three years for a first offence or annul the licence on a second offence.

For the time being, foreign licences will be returned when the holder leaves the country, following international practice, but French driving bans may also be enforced across the European Union under a 1998 convention on the mutual recognition of licence suspension that has yet to be ratified.

Drivers in this situation may also face stiff on the spot fines and can be escorted by police to cash points to extract sums of up to £900. A second offence can carry a three-month jail sentence and potentially a fine of over £2000.

The ruling, in 2000, made foreign licence holders subject to the same immediate ban as French motorists but was previously only used on drink drivers.

It now gives French police the discretion to confiscate a licence immediately but allows no distinction between French nationals and visitors – unlike UK legislation which is far less draconian on foreign drivers. Here it is unusual for anything but the most serious driving offences to be fast tracked through the courts and drivers fined or disqualified.

Young visitors should also be aware that minimum driving age in France is 18 and maximum speeds are restricted for two years after qualification.

France's heavy fines and possible prison terms for "very high speed" were introduced in 2000 by the Government along with a battery of other measures in a bid to tackle the country’s poor road safety record which is among the worst in Europe.

Edmund King, executive director of the RAC Foundation said: “Many families will be visiting France during the October break and risk having their holidays ruined if they break the speed limit. We are concerned by the growing numbers of drivers who find themselves stranded with no one to help and by the lack of knowledge about the legislation and the potential of this happening. None of the people who contacted us were aware of the possible consequences of their actions.

“If there is no one else who can drive the car, then they will have to pay to have it brought back to the UK. That can cost up to £3000 – a sum that is unlikely to be covered by insurance. One twenty year old was left stranded in Lyon as his passenger could not drive and it is an offence to drive in France without a licence.

“Visitors to France during the school holidays should be especially careful as there is evidence to suggest that the French police will be particularly vigilant of foreigners who flout their speeding laws. The number of speed cameras on French roads has also increased over the past few years.”