France Traffic Law Report
Source Agency: Sécurité Routière / ONISR
Last Updated: June 7, 2026
Key Findings
- ●Theory test pass rate is 53.4% (2023, Sécurité Routière — Bilan des examens)
- ●Road fatalities: 3,193 in 2024 — Up 0.8% vs 2023 (metropolitan France); 3,432 including overseas territories
- ●1.8M tests administered per year by Sécurité Routière / ONISR
- ●Most challenging topic: Priority & right-of-way
Test Statistics
Speed Limits
Urban
50 km/h
Rural / National Roads
80 km/h
Motorway / Highway
130 km/h
Most Challenging Topics
Priority & right-of-way
Priorité à droite, roundabouts and complex junction scenarios.
Speed limits
Limits that vary by road type and weather, including reduced limits in the rain.
Road signs & markings
French regulatory, warning and direction signs and road markings.
Eco-driving & environment
Fuel-efficient driving and environmental rules such as low-emission zones.
Sharing the road
Priority and safety rules for pedestrians, cyclists and other road users.
Road Safety
Road Fatalities
3,193
ONISR — Bilan définitif 2024 (2024)
Trend
Up 0.8% vs 2023 (metropolitan France); 3,432 including overseas territories
Penalties & Fines
Recent Law Changes
Excessive speeding — 50 km/h or more over the limit — became a criminal offence (délit) on 29 December 2025: up to €3,750 fine, 3 months in prison and 6 points.
A new “homicide routier” (road homicide) offence was created by the law of 9 July 2025: up to 7 years in prison and €100,000, rising to 10 years and €150,000 with aggravating factors.
Low-emission zones (ZFE) were scaled back: as air quality improved, several cities left the scheme, leaving mandatory restrictions focused on Paris and Lyon while the wider obligation remains contested.
Solo driving from age 17 for a category B licence became possible on 1 January 2024 (previously 18).
Sources & Methodology
All statistics in this report are sourced from official government agencies and publicly available data. AutoviaTest is an independent educational platform and is not affiliated with any government testing agency.
Data last verified: 2026-06-07
Primary Sources:
- Sécurité Routière — Bilan des examens — Test statistics (2023)
- ONISR — Bilan définitif 2024 — Road safety data (2024)
- Code de la route, art. R413-2 & R413-3 (Legifrance) — Speed limits
- Service-Public.fr & Code de la route (Legifrance) — Penalties & fines
- Ministère de l’Intérieur — Recent law change (2025)
- Vie-publique.fr — Recent law change (2025)
- Vie-publique.fr — Recent law change (2025)
- Service-Public.fr — Recent law change (2024)
- Sécurité Routière / ONISR — Official regulatory body
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