Continental hauliers warned of new safety requirements in France

Fleet operators that send vehicles into France must ensure that they adhere to new safety regulations introduced on January 1, or they could face fines.

The new legislation applies to all vehicles in France weighing more than 3.5 tonnes, whether they are used for goods or passenger transport.

Vehicles need to have stickers clearly displayed on both the sides and rear informing others of the vehicle’s blind spots. Additionally, vehicles should be constructed or fitted with one or more indirect vision safety systems, such as mirrors, with a field of view that does not include a blind spot likely to obscure a vehicle about to pass it.

Controls for such devices should also be easily accessible to the driver while the vehicle is in motion.

Road safety campaigners and experts have welcomed the updates. However, they are warning fleet operators that mirrors alone are not enough to eliminate blind spots.

Emily Hardy, from Brigade Electronics UK, said: “This legislation is a welcome change. However, it is important for operators to understand that mirrors alone do not eliminate blind spots. Therefore, they could still be fined according to the legislation’s requirements. We recommend fitting a range of vehicle safety technology, such as Brigade’s DVS Safe System kits, to ensure operators comply with legislation across Europe and that drivers have full visibility of their vehicle’s surroundings.”

These kits, which come in two different types (one for rigid vehicles and one for articulated vehicles), comprise side cameras, ultrasonic sensors for the near side of the vehicle and a warning alarm which is activated when the vehicle is turning.

Both kits are compliant with London’s Direct Vision Standard as well as all relevant regional laws across the EU, meaning fleet operators can be confident that the systems will meet all necessary legal requirements.