New Law Requires French Tourists to Carry Breathalyzers

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Wallet, Check. Keys, Check. Breathalyser, Check?

A new French law, coming into effect in July, will require tourists driving through France to carry a breathalyzer test. Drivers caught without a kit will face a fine of 11€.

The accuracy of the tests have been called into question and many have speculated that the new law is a thinly veiled attempt to make more money off foreign drivers.

The breathalyzer kits cost between around 1€ and 2€ and will be sold at ferry and tunnel terminals for crossings to France.

Read more at news.com.au.

  1. @Reannon – It does just seem like an attempt to muscle money from tourists. Either they buy the kit or pay the fine.

    The real clincher is that if a responsible tourist uses the test, discovers they are sober enough to drive, they can still be fined 11euro because they no longer have a testing kit. No way to win…

  2. That’s crazy…and bad for tourism. The French already have a bad enough reputation with foreign tourists as it is…by requiring that, they’re turning tourists into the bad guys.

  3. this law will apply to all vehicles on French roads, whether Tourist or French nationals. The requirement is for one unused breath tester to be kept in the car. These testers are for single use only and work by chemical reaction with alcohol on the breath, they are not expensive electronic devices. We should expect to pay about 2 euros each. As such they are more symbolic than practical.

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