To stop an increasingly widespread phenomenon on the roads, the police of this department are now withdrawing the driving licenses of at-fault motorists.
This is called taking the bull by the horns. The police are tired of seeing certain motorists do anything at the wheel and play with their lives and those of others by not respecting the basic rules of the Highway Code. In 2023, 3,402 people died on the roads of mainland France or overseas. A figure down slightly compared to 2022 (-4.7%) but which nevertheless still sends shivers down your spine. The offenses are still as numerous as ever. And among them, one is very often responsible for accidents, more or less serious.
It is for this reason that the police in a department in the south of France have been instructed not to let anything pass. On the basis of a prefectural decree, they can now withdraw the driving license of motorists who commit an offense while having their mobile phone in their hands. Usually, making a mistake while using your phone results in the retention of your driving license for 72 hours, which can then be followed by administrative withdrawal. Excessive speed, crossing a solid line or even failure to respect safety distances now costs, with the aggravating circumstance of the concomitant use of the Smartphone, the suspension of the license for several months in the city of Agen and its surroundings.
It is in fact in the department of Lot-et-Garonne, known in particular for its wines, its prunes and its numerous castles, that the gendarmerie has received the order to crack down on those who telephone or text while driving, or even worse, watch videos. Road checks have already been reinforced in the department and the police no longer hesitate to withdraw the driving licenses of motorists guilty of a double offense, even if, as we can read on Le Petit Bleui d’ Agen, they are asked to exercise discernment.
In the French Code, article R412-6-1 stipulates that the use of a telephone held in the hand by the driver of a vehicle in circulation is prohibited. The motorist faces a fixed fine of 135 euros, which can rise up to 375 euros if he exceeds the deadline to pay it. It is accompanied by the loss of 3 points on the driving license. The offender also risks an additional penalty of suspension of the driving license, for a maximum period of three years.