Efforts to reduce number of wrong way drivers on French motorways
Contresens drivers are responsible for multiple deaths each year
Drivers are asked to inform authorities if they see someone driving in the wrong direction on a motorway
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Drivers on French motorways are being warned to stay vigilant against vehicles driving the wrong way, as France looks to crack down on this serious infraction.
Motorists driving the wrong way (contresens) down motorways in France are responsible for around seven deaths per year, as well as causing several other serious accidents.
Around 3 cases per day are recorded.
“Ninety-nine per cent of [those caught] are men, and very often they are under the influence of alcohol,” said police officer Frédéric Grassert to FranceInfo.
“More often than not, they are alone in the car, and they are also guilty of other offences,” he added.
Many of those intercepted under these conditions are aged between 35 and 45.
In other cases, it is usually elderly drivers who are disorientated.
Read more: MAP: Where did most fatal road crashes happen in France in 2024?
Motorway patrols
Mr Grassert works with other officers as part of a motorcycle unit in the west of France, patrolling motorways to ensure drivers are following rules.
This includes driving on the correct side of the motorway.
One potential solution – used in Belgium but not yet in France – is to have bright lights that shine when a driver is going down the motorway the wrong way.
This informs not only the driver committing the offence but others nearby driving correctly, allowing them to act accordingly.
It would also help increase visibility – most cases occur at night, making it more difficult to see the vehicle.
Currently, motorway operators use interactive billboards and radio alerts to inform drivers if there is a case of a contresens vehicle on the motorway.
In other cases, motorists are informed at tollbooths (péages) along the route.
What to do if you spot a driver
If you spot a vehicle driving the wrong way along the motorway, it is important to contact authorities to reduce the risk of accidents.
This also includes someone walking along the motorway or using another type of vehicle (scooter, electric wheelchair etc), including along the hard shoulder.
Motorway operator Sanef recommends the following options:
Going to the nearest orange phone box – there is one every 2 km on a motorway
Using the motorway operator’s smartphone app (if applicable) providing you already have it installed and set up. For Sanef, this is SOS Autoroute
Contact the motorway operator via telephone (for Sanef, this is 0 (+33) 9 708 08 709)
Call emergency services and state your location as clearly as possible: motorway number, direction of traffic the person is driving/going alone, and the reference point indicated on the central reservation or on the side of the road
You should ask a passenger to do this for you, or pull over so you are not using your mobile when driving.
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