For those with the money to pay, speeding tickets can seem like a light finger, a very lenient punishment for committing a serious traffic offence.
With this in mind, the French government has passed a new law where motorists and motorcyclists who exceed the speed limit by 50 km/h or more, in addition to a fine of around $4,000, can face up to three months in prison.
Speeding is considered a serious traffic offense in France, but until now you could only be convicted if you were a repeat offender.
However, the authorities discovered that this was not enough. In 2024 alone, the authorities recorded 63,217 cases of motorists exceeding the speed limit by at least 50 km/h, an increase of 69% compared to 2017.
Now, in addition to possible jail time and fines, judges can suspend your driver’s license and prevent you from applying for a new driver’s license for up to three years. They can also confiscate your vehicle and ban you from driving certain vehicles for up to five years.
This offense will be recorded on your criminal record, you will receive six points on your license and they may even force you to attend a road safety course, which you will have to pay for yourself.
And it’s not just in France. Several American states have passed specific legislation against so-called “super-speeders”, which shows a change in how speeding offenses are handled by the authorities.
Photo: Triumph. This content is created with the help of AI and has been reviewed by the editorial team.
