speeding offences

[lynne]

I was unlucky yesterday to be caught over the speeding limit in my local town.   I have duly paid my 90€ and have been told thet I must now change my uk driving licence to a french one to get the points put on to it. I'm sure I'm not the only one for this to happen to, and would like to know what I must do. how long I have got to do it. Does anyone know how many points I will get and for how long. Is there a maximum amount of points after which you loose your licence.

I'm all shook up as it is my first ever offence

Lynne

[cooperlola]

[quote user="lynne"]

I was unlucky yesterday to be caught over the speeding limit in my local town.   I have duly paid my 90€ and have been told thet I must now change my uk driving licence to a french one to get the points put on to it. I'm sure I'm not the only one for this to happen to, and would like to know what I must do. how long I have got to do it. Does anyone know how many points I will get and for how long. Is there a maximum amount of points after which you loose your licence.

I'm all shook up as it is my first ever offence

Lynne

[/quote]See

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/792865/ShowPost.aspx

As ever, Sunday Driver has done a comprehensive list of what you need.  I'll look up the Code Rousseau for the points thing although it's probably around too if you do a search (top right).  IMHO a copy of the CR (French Highway Code) is a bit of a must if you live here.

[Bugsy]

I presume that you were in a french registered vehicle. If so you would have received a ticket and on the ticket it should show the number of points given. In France the number of points equate to the speed over the posted limit. The table below gives some indication of this but I'm not sure how up to date it is.

In our prefecture (Poitiers) they will not change a UK (photo) licence for a french one unless you have a letter from the Gerndarmes advising that they wish to deduct points from you. (A french licence starts with twelve points)

I'm told, but stand to be corrected, that the police won't push for a licence change for a '1 point' penalty, but they do keep it on record to add to 'your score' if you fall foul of the speeding rules in the future.

Hope this helps...........................

Over the Speed Limit (kph)	Points off	License Suspended	Fine (Euros)	Prison
<20	1	no	135
>20 and < 30	2	no	135
>30 and <40	3	3 Years	135
>40 and <50	4	3 Years	135
>50	4	3 Years	1,500
>50 2nd time	6	3 Years	3,750	3 months

[cooperlola]

I may have read the CR incorrectly, but to my mind it says you get 1 point for being between 1 & 19 kph over the limit.  This stays on your licence for 3 years but you can get the point taken off before then if you take and pass a "stage de sensibilisation". ( a kind of mini-test.)

[Chief]

[quote user="lynne"]

I was unlucky yesterday to be caught over the speeding limit in my local town.

Lynne

[/quote]

You were not unlucky, you got what you deserve for speeding ....[:)]...i speed all the time, deserve to get done, but have so far avoided it, and as they sometimes say, being caught is an occupational hazard........cough up...lol

[Cjlaws]

Lynne

I'm sure that Bugbear's right. You don't have to do anything until you hear from the gendarmes. The table he has given is up to date according to the French government site. I've also heard that compulsory change to a French license doesn't always follow just a one point penalty.

As for a stage de sensibilisation, that's a two day 16 hour corrective training course costing between €230 and €260, which enables people to recover up to 4 points already deducted from their license. It's to help you avoid losing your license by going over the 12 lost points barrier - not something you need to worry about for the moment.

Good luck - from now on!

[cooperlola]

Yes, Lynne, when you say "I have been told" - did the gendarmes themselves tell you that? When Mr C got stopped, he paid the fine and that was that.  No points, no requirement to change.

[Cassis]

I can vouch that it does not automatically follow that you have to change licence - I've got two one-pointers (from fixed radar traps) and not been asked.  Someone on here - I think it was SD but apologies if it was not - also said that the gendarmes have no way of keeping a record of offences committed on a UK licence.  The fact that I've had 2 separate offences and not been asked to change may bear this out!  However, I have also heard of people being asked to change after their first offence - maybe whether they ask you to change depends on both the severity of the individual offence and the mood of the gendarme dealing with it. [:)]

[Sunday Driver]

Cassis is right.  For roadside stops, it seems to be down to the individual officer whether or not he wants to enforce a single point.  Other people have reported no follow up for radar tickets.

French licence points are held on a national database (rather than being noted on the actual licence) and as far as I'm aware, the database probably isn't configured to hold UK licence details.

 

[robotpierre]

for comparison - a driver on a French licence in the UK would get 3 points and a £60 fine...... the 3 points would be recorded on his 'record' on the DVLA computer....he/she would have to attend Court for implementation of the penalties as Fixed Penalties can currently only be applied to British licences.............as in France accumulating 12 points would bring about a 6 month ban....

there has been and continues to be discussions/plans to co-ordinate all EU motoring points/fines so that fines in one country can be pursued and collected in another...

[Sunday Driver]

A driver on a French licence in the UK does not have a DVLA record and there is currently no mechanism to "apply" penalty points to foreign licenceholders.

Under the new Road Safety Act 2006, the UK police now have powers to levy on the spot fines for roadside traffic offences by foreign motorists.  For non-roadside enforcement,  authorities of the EU member state in which the offence occured are able to obtain the driver's details from the authorities in his "home" state, so that fines can be pursued. 

The longer term objective is to permit the driver's "home" court to enforce traffic offences committed in other member states by applying penalty points/disqualifications, etc.