What should the mandatory safety kit contain?

For the safety of passengers and any road user, all vehicles must be equipped with a safety kit. Which is regulated by standards, and a failure to comply with this equipment does result in a fine. This obligation applies to motorists and under conditions to cyclists. The French Highway Code requires it when driving a four-wheeled car with a body in France.

Fluorescent vest

As part of the kit, the retro-reflective vest is mandatory according to the law in force since October 1, 2008. According to the legal requirement, the driver must wear it when exiting the vehicle in the event of an emergency stop on a motorway or 4 lanes. It allows visibility 3 times more during the day from 300 m away and 5 times more at night, i.e. at 160 m. Thus, the driver is advised to store it in an easily accessible place without having to get out of the car to get it. It should be mentioned that cyclists are included in this obligation to wear a safety vest when visibility is insufficient in areas outside urban areas.

Warning triangle

Like the vest, which must be approved with a CE marking and therefore provided with its instructions for use, the warning triangle is also approved with the E 27 R vest. It is used in the event of a breakdown or accident and must be placed 30 m from the vehicle. It must be on the same lane and visible in all circumstances; if the car is parked at the exit of the bend, the triangle should be placed 100 m from the car. Please turn on the hazard lights at the same time. Remember that these two markings are mandatory when the vehicle is immobilized in an emergency, including rescue to a third party. In the absence of either of them, the fine is at least €135.

Ethylotest

It must be acknowledged that only in 2017, 1035 people lost their lives as a result of an accident caused by a driver with an alcohol level above the authorised limit. This has led the prefects of the Drôme, Finistère, Marne and Nord to allow a motorist at a rate between 0.8 and 1.8g/l to drive provided they have an alcohol interlock test or EAD. Although the absence of a breathalyzer test no longer results in a fine since March 1, 2013 throughout France, paradoxically, the law in force since July 1, 2012 requires motorists to detain them. The electronic or chemical version is always valid.

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