From Monday, December 29, 2025, drivers in France caught exceeding the speed limit by 50 km/h or more will face criminal charges, following the implementation of a key provision from the new Law on Road Homicide passed in July…
This measure is of critical relevance to residents and road users in Monaco, where cross-border driving into France is routine.
The new offence carries up to three months’ imprisonment, a €3,750 fine, and entry into the criminal record. Additional penalties include license suspension of up to three years, vehicle confiscation, and a mandatory road safety awareness course.
Previously treated as a fifth-class offence unless repeated, extreme speeding is now formally classified as a criminal act. The French government has taken this firmer stance in response to the growing prevalence and severity of road violence. In 2024 alone, more than 63,000 offences of this kind were recorded, a 69 percent increase since 2017.
“Exceeding the limit by over 50 km/h is not a minor violation; it’s a reckless endangerment of lives,” said Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, Minister Delegate to the Interior. “This law reflects our duty to protect families and the most vulnerable road users.”
The changes come amid broader efforts to curb road deaths and aggressive driving across the region. Monaco drivers crossing into France, whether on the A8 motorway, the Moyenne Corniche, or mountain passes, should be acutely aware; extreme speeding now carries criminal consequences.
Photo by toine G
