Bad habits that can be (very) expensive. The second wave of holiday departures promises to be busy on the roads, according to the latest forecasts from Bison Fûté. Friday, July 15 is classified as “orange” at the national level and “red” on the Mediterranean Arc, and Bison Fûté sees red for this weekend.
>> Holiday departures: Bison Fûté traffic forecasts
With the heat wave progressing in France, occurring during this busy period on the roads, Bison Fûté calls on users to be very careful in their travels. And on the roads, for this “chassé-croisé”, the gendarmes, they watch, in particular on all our little bad habits. Which are prohibited or dangerous? franceinfo takes stock with Captain Joseph Freignaud, commander of the EDSR (departmental road safety squadron) of Morbihan.
Are we allowed to use our smartphone GPS application while driving?
It’s the nightmare of vacationers on the road: traffic jams. Hence the desire, sometimes, to modify his itinerary by tapping on his Waze or Google Maps type app on his smartphone. Yet warns the ccaptain Joseph Freignaud, it is strictly forbidden. “Any GPS can only be manipulated by the driver when the vehicle is stationary“, he says before recalling the rule: “Using a hand-held phone while driving is prohibited. It entails a withdrawal of three points from the license and a fine of 135 euros. This can go as far as a suspension of the driver’s license if it is combined with another offense resulting in the withdrawal of points.“
Are we allowed to smoke or eat while driving?
The temptation can be great to avoid wasting time on a motorway service area. However, eating, drinking or even smoking while driving can quickly become dangerous. And the Highway Code is clear, as the commander of the Morbihan EDSR reminds us: “Any dangerous behavior that could lead to a loss of control of the vehicle can be reported. This is article R412-6 of the Highway Code relating to driving that does not allow the vehicle to be maneuvered easily..” If the offense is found, it falls under a second-class fine, up to 35 euros.
Is it allowed to stick out your arms or hands while driving at 130 km/h on the highway?
Air conditioning is fine. But some prefer to open the window to freshen up the cabin. If nothing formally prohibits passing his hand out of the window for a few moments for passengers, the captain of the gendarmerie wishes to recall that the driver is supposed to have both hands on the steering wheel. And that, there too, “Any dangerous behavior, which could lead to a loss of control of the vehicle, is verbalizable.”
>> What you probably didn’t know about Bison Fûté
Is it allowed to put your feet on the passenger dashboard when driving?
Who has never been tempted to gain a little space to lie down in the car? However, whether you are barefoot or in socks, putting your feet on the passenger dashboard is not a brilliant idea. In fact, recalls the gendarme, “cIt is not illegal, however it is an extremely dangerous practice for the passenger.”
“If the airbag is triggered, which can be the result of any impact, even slight, the passenger’s legs are then thrown by the airbag against his chest or his face and can cause very serious injuries and disabilities.”
Captain Joseph Freignaudat franceinfo
On Facebook, the Morbihan gendarmerie had also taken up a video of the show This is not rocket science in 2019, showing the dangers of this practice: the passenger airbag deploys in 55 miliseconds, the time of the blink of an eye.
Is it legal to drive shirtless, barefoot or in flip flops?
This is a question that often comes up in the summer: are we allowed to drive more lightly than usual? If the practice is largely discouraged – and even more so for motorized two-wheelers –, the PV is not systematic. “There is no specific prohibition on the subjecttells us the captain Freignaud. Circumstances will eventually lead the police to verbalize, again, if it is found that it is impossible to maneuver the vehicle easily.
Are you allowed to sleep all night on the highway?
“Every two hours, the break is essential“: the advice is well known to motorists. While it is highly advisable to take a break at the first signs of fatigue – such as staring, repeated yawning, heavy eyelids, tingling and blinking eyes or still a stiff neck and an uncomfortable sitting position, as the Vinci Autoroutes site reminds us – nothing prevents you from getting a good night’s sleep in a rest area, if necessary. or in a motorhome, you can sleep a whole night on the site, respecting the safety instructions. But be careful not to settle down: it is indeed forbidden to take out equipment, such as a tent or chairs. This can be considered wild camping.
Can we stop anywhere for the “wee break”?
Toilets in motorway or national service areas sometimes have a reputation that precedes them. However, in case of urgent need, it can be expensive: the law indeed prohibits urinating on the public highway – even behind a tree. This is Article R632-1 of the Criminal Code: “EThe act of depositing, abandoning, throwing or dumping, in a public or private place, with the exception of locations designated for this purpose by the administrative authority, is punished with the fine provided for 2nd class contraventions. authority, garbage, waste, droppings, materials, unsanitary liquids or any other object of any nature whatsoever, including while urinating on the public highway, if these facts are not accomplished by the person having the enjoyment of the place or with his permission.” And this, encor less on the hard shoulder: in addition to the fine of 35 euros, the driver risks a PV of 135 euros as well as a withdrawal of three points from the driving license.