It's a new color that's disrupting the habits of French drivers on asphalt: red. While it has already been adopted in several European countries, this road marking is now appearing on our highways with the clear objective of improving driver safety.
In the Rhône Valley and near Bordeaux
As reported by L’Internaute, it's a thick, impossible-to-miss red line that was recently painted on certain sections of the A7 near Vienne in the Rhône Valley, and on the A10 towards Bordeaux. This initiative is largely inspired by similar experiments carried out in Spain and aims to attract the attention of motorists and remind them to be vigilant in the most accident-prone areas.
In Andalusia on the A-355 near Malaga, this system has already been tested over nearly 5 kilometers and the results are conclusive. There, the red line separates the lanes and indicates particularly dangerous areas where visibility is reduced and where accidents are frequent. According to our colleagues at L’Internaute, “the red line was painted in more accident-prone areas, often on a winding section of road with little visibility. It should encourage motorists to reduce their speed and be extra vigilant.”
This red line is not just a simple reminder to be careful, as it has a specific meaning: a strict ban on overtaking another vehicle. While the solid white line remains the standard for signaling this prohibition, the red line reinforces the message – especially in areas where failure to comply with this rule could have… dramatic consequences.
Because crossing the red line to overtake is not without consequences: In France, the offense is punishable by a fine of 135 euros and the loss of three points on your driving license. “It’s a little less severe than in Spain, where the offender must pay 200 euros and risks having their driving license suspended for three months, but it’s still expensive!”, our counterparts remind us. That said, it’s a penalty that remains dissuasive and should force the French to be careful.
If the experiment on the A7 and A10 is as conclusive as in Spain, it’s highly likely that this red marking will be extended to other roads across France. Moreover, in countries like the Netherlands and Spain, the introduction of this type of signage has helped reduce the number of accidents. It would therefore not be unlikely to see this new marking appear everywhere on our roads.
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