POLICE in France have been accused of targeting British tourists with speeding fines before Brexit as the fines could be harder to collect after the UK leaves the EU.
Requests for UK drivers' details by the Gendarmerie, the police force in France, tripled in March, compared to previous months.
The Gendarmerie made 104,031 requests to the DVLA in March this year according to a Freedom of Information request made by the AA according to Mail Online.
This is compared to just 42,824 in February – and just three requests made in January.
The increase in demands has raised concerns that Brits are being targeted due to Brexit, according to AA president Edmund King, as leaving the EU could make collecting fines harder.
The UK signed up to the Mutual Legal Assistance in 2017, which currently allows drivers details to be passed on to other countries, although this could change after the UK leaves the EU.
Mr King warned that said Brits could expect another "rush" in October thanks to the new Brexit deadline, sparking concerns for Brits who are heading to France this summer.
Fines for drivers who are caught speeding in France range from £61 to £3,360.
And Brits could face the fines up to a year after breaking the law.
Mr King advised travellers to read up on the current speed restrictions in France, and stick to the limits to avoid being caught out.
Drivers have also been warned to check they have correctly converted kilometres-per-hour used in Europe, to miles-per-hour, used in the UK.
For example, many motorways in France are 120kph – which is 74mph.
What are the current driving laws in France?
According to the UK Foreign Office, drivers in France must obey a number of road laws:
- Using mobile phones with headsets or ear pieces when driving is forbidden
- Speeding can result in heavy, on the spot fines, and your vehicle and licence could be confiscated
- It’s compulsory to carry a warning triangle and reflective jacket
- In-car radar detectors and satellite navigation systems warning of the presence of speed cameras or radars are illegal whether in use or not
Brits could also need a Green Card to be able to drive around Europe after Brexit.
While they would be free of charge, it could bump up insurance to cover the administration costs.
An International Driving Permit (IDP) could also be needed by Brits driving around Europe – with up to three needed depending on the country.
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