Road safety, the driving licence, eco-driving, occupational road risk: solid reference points, drawn from the field. A subject you would like to see covered? Suggest it.
Road risk is the leading cause of fatal accidents at work in France. Yet it is still the one most often left out of prevention. Here is what the law says, and where to start in practice.
An obligation, not an option
Article L4121-1 of the French Labour Code requires every employer to assess occupational risks and act on them. Road risk — commuting as much as travel on assignment — is one of them, and it is set down in the Document Unique (DUER), required from the very first employee.
Four practical levers
Raise awareness of the risks and the right reflexes (tiredness, distraction, speed, sharing the road).
Set rules on phones at the wheel : a clear protocol cuts distraction sharply.
Train in eco-driving : fewer accidents, less fuel — the investment pays back quickly.
Maintain the vehicles and plan journeys properly (anticipation, realistic schedules).
Every training session produces a certificate, to be filed with the DUER; funding can come through the skills development plan, and through the OPCO once you hold Qualiopi certification.
The honest answer: it depends on you. But there are clear benchmarks.
Legal minimum
20 h with a manual gearbox, 13 h with an automatic. A floor, not a target.
The French average
Around 35 h. Going past the minimum is normal.
Accompanied driving
Better pass rate, safer driving afterwards.
Training follows the REMC framework : what gets signed off is competences (controlling the vehicle, driving in traffic, sharing the road, driving independently), not a number of hours. The right number of hours is the one that gets you driving alone, safely — aiming at the minimum whatever the cost often means starting over.
The scheme known as Apprentissage Anticipé de la Conduite lets you start from age 15, with a family member or friend alongside, after initial training. Statistically, one of the best ways into the licence.
From age 15
Training from 15, the test possible from 17.
≈ 1 year, 3,000 km
An accompanied phase of about a year, with teaching check-ins along the way.
Better pass rate
More passes, and fewer accidents in the first years.
On the accompanying side: you do not need to be a driving instructor — a family member or friend who has held a licence for 5 years and is accepted by the insurer. The role: to build up experience in a reassuring setting.
Motorcycle licence: A1, A2, A — making sense of it
Three categories, one logic of age and power:
A1 — from 16
Up to 125 cc and 11 kW.
A2 — from 18
Limited power (up to 35 kW).
A — full access
No power limit, after A2.
Moving from A2 → A does not mean sitting the full test again: after 2 years on A2, a 7-hour bridging course is enough. The two practical tests are still the plateau (off-road manoeuvring) and the road ride (real traffic).
Phones and screens at the wheel: the law and the risks
A few seconds with your eyes on a screen is enough to cover tens of metres blind. It is one of the most common distractions — and one of the most heavily penalised.
What the law says
Holding your phone in your hand while driving: a €135 fine and 3 points off.
If the phone use comes with another offence (crossing a solid line, failing to give way, and so on), the licence can be taken away on the spot.
Since 1 July 2015, wearing earphones, an earpiece or headphones while driving has also been banned.
The right reflex
Turn on driving mode (automatic reply, notifications off) before you set off. A call or a message will wait: nothing justifies taking your eyes off the road.
Source: Sécurité Routière (rules on phones at the wheel).
Safety at the wheel · 17 June 2026
Drink-driving: the limits and the penalties
Alcohol is still one of the leading causes of death on the road. The limits are clear — and stricter for novice drivers.
0.5 g/L
The general limit (0.25 mg/L of exhaled air). Above that, you are breaking the law.
0.2 g/L on a probationary licence
For probationary licences and learners: 0.2 g/L, which means not one glass.
0.8 g/L = a criminal offence
Heavy penalties (see below).
The penalties
From 0.5 to 0.8 g/L (a traffic offence): fixed fine of 135 € and 6 points off.
0.8 g/L and above, or refusing the test (a criminal offence): up to a €4,500 fine, 2 years in prison, 6 points off and suspension or cancellation of the licence.
Source: Sécurité Routière / Service-Public (rules on drink-driving).
Alertness · 17 June 2026
Tiredness and drowsiness: the silent danger
It gets underestimated, and yet: on the motorway, one fatal accident in three is linked to drowsiness. Tiredness lengthens reaction time and can bring on "micro-sleeps" of a few seconds — fatal at 130 km/h.
The warning signs
Repeated yawning, heavy eyelids, a fixed stare, difficulty holding your lane: these are signals tostop immediately, not annoyances to be ignored.
The right reflexes
A break every 2 hours, even if you do not feel tired.
At the first sign: stop somewhere safe and take a nap of 15 to 20 minutes.
Avoid setting off after a day at work or a short night; sleep debt is not paid back at the wheel.
As a reminder, 3,193 people lost their lives on the roads of mainland France in 2024. Behind every figure lie behaviours that were often avoidable.
Sources: Sécurité Routière (tiredness and driving); ONISR (2024 report).
Funding · 17 June 2026
Funding your licence: CPF, the €1-a-day licence and other help
The cost of the licence can be brought down. Several schemes exist — here are the main ones, up to date.
CPF
The Compte Personnel de Formation can fund the licence. Since 21 February 2026, for a light-group licence (B, A1, A2 and so on), you must however be a jobseeker registered with France Travail or have co-funding. Cap: 900 €.
The €1-a-day licence
For 15 to 25 year-olds : an interest-free loan (the State pays the interest), repaid in small monthly instalments. Can be combined with the CPF.
The work route
For training with a work purpose (road safety, eco-driving): the employer's skills development plan , or the OPCO once you hold Qualiopi certification.
Other help exists depending on your situation (France Travail, regional or local schemes, the mission locale). Best of all: take stock of where you stand before you start.
Sources: Service-Public (help with the licence, CPF); Sécurité Routière (the €1-a-day licence). Rules up to date at the time of publication.
Young drivers · 17 June 2026
The probationary licence: how it works
Once you have passed, you are a "novice driver" for a probationary period. The first years count double for safety.
6 points to start with
The probationary licence starts at 6 points (not 12).
3 years (2 with AAC)
The period lasts 3 years, or 2 years if you did accompanied driving.
+2 points a year (+3 with AAC)
With no offence, the total goes up every year until it reaches 12 points.
Also worth remembering
Alcohol: 0.2 g/L at most — in other words not one glass.
The "A" disc on the back of the vehicle for the whole probationary period.
Lower speed limits (110 km/h on the motorway instead of 130, for example).
Source: Service-Public / Sécurité Routière (the probationary licence).
Sharing the road · 17 June 2026
Sharing the road: pedestrians, cyclists, two-wheelers
The most vulnerable road users pay the heaviest price. A few habits of coexistence change everything.
Overtake a cyclist with room : at least 1 metre in town and 1.50 m outside built-up areas (French Highway Code). Wait behind if you have to.
Blind spots (above all on lorries and buses): never linger in one; if you cannot see the driver's mirror, the driver cannot see you.
Open your door with the far hand (the "Dutch Reach"): the torso turns, the eyes sweep behind — and you avoid dooring a cyclist.
At junctions and pedestrian crossings : slow down, look ahead, catch the other person's eye. Giving way to a pedestrian already crossing is an obligation.
Sources: Sécurité Routière; the French Highway Code (overtaking distances).
Passing the test · 17 June 2026
Passing the practical test: the common mistakes
The test does not reward performance, it rewards safe, independent driving. Most failures come down to a few avoidable points.
What makes the difference
Observation : visible looks at the mirrors and the blind spots, above all before every manoeuvre. The examiner has to see that you are looking.
The checks before changing direction : mirror + blind spot + indicator, in the right order, every time.
A pace that fits : neither too slow (holding others up, hesitating) nor too fast; matched to the signs and to the situation.
Independence : making your own decisions, without waiting to be told — that is the spirit of the REMC framework.
Handling the nerves
A mistake is not a failure in itself: you can recover from it. Breathe, pick up the thread, and keep driving cleanly. Being steady over the whole route counts for more than one perfect moment.
Speeds & limits · 17 June 2026
Speeds and limits: making sense of them
Limits depend on the type of road — and sometimes on the department. When in doubt, the sign always wins.
In built-up areas : 50 km/h by default, often lowered to 30 km/h (30 zones, more and more common in town centres).
Two-way roads with no central separation : 80 km/h since 1 July 2018. Since 2019, some departments have put part of their network back up to 90 km/h — hence the local variations.
Roads with separated carriageways (two lanes each way) : generally 110 km/h.
Motorway : 130 km/h, and 110 km/h in the rain (as on expressways).
Novice driver (probationary): lower limits — 110 km/h on the motorway, for example.
Speed is not only a question of fines: it lengthens the stopping distance and makes an impact more violent. Adjusting your pace is keeping yourself a margin.
Source: Sécurité Routière (speed limits). Always go by the signs in place.
Older drivers · 17 June 2026
Older drivers: driving calmly, for longer
Driving means independence. Age forbids nothing — but it is an invitation to adapt how you drive and to take stock in confidence.
What the law says (as things stand)
In France, no medical check is required for a category B licence on grounds of age : the licence stays valid for life for private journeys. Worth noting: new European rules, currently being transposed, could change that (more frequent medical examinations for older drivers) — the French timetable has not been settled yet.
Adapt, rather than give up
Choose your moments : favour daylight, outside rush hour, and avoid driving at night if glare bothers you.
Look after sight and hearing : a regular check makes a big difference; wear the glasses that suit driving.
Watch out for medicines : some reduce alertness (there is a pictogram on the box) — talk to your doctor about it.
A voluntary driving review with an instructor: no test at stake, just to get your confidence back and correct a few habits.
What family and friends can do
Raise the subject kindly, offer a review rather than a verdict, and look for solutions (suitable routes, alternatives): the aim is safety, not punishment.
Sources: Service-Public / Sécurité Routière (health and driving, advice for the families of older drivers). Rules up to date at the time of publication; European changes still to come.
Two-wheelers · 17 June 2026
A motorcyclist's kit: what is required and what is advised
On a two-wheeler, your kit is not a detail: it reduces how badly you are hurt if you come off. Two items are required — the rest is strongly advised.
Required
An approved helmet (meeting Geneva Regulation 22/05), properly fastened, for rider and passenger alike. Not wearing one: a class 4 fine and 3 points off.
Certified gloves (rider and passenger). No compliant gloves: a fine of 68 € (reduced to €45) and 1 point off.
Strongly advised
A jacket with armour (or an airbag), reinforced trousers, boots that cover the ankle, a back protector: not required, but they make the difference on the day you go down. The golden rule from Sécurité Routière: the more kit you wear, the better protected you are.
Figures given as a guide, checked against the official sources (Sécurité Routière, Service-Public, ONISR) at the time of publication. The rules can change; every situation is confirmed case by case.
News & official resources
The official sources on road safety. If your department is recognised, the news from your prefecture appears here.