Drivers in France are being warned: those caught using their phones behind the wheel now face temporary license suspension. Until recently, the penalty was a 135-euro fine and three points deducted from the driving license. The government has decided to generalize a measure already implemented in about twenty departments.
A Divisive Measure
Suspension periods vary by region, ranging from two weeks to six months depending on the severity of the offense. In the Aisne department, since September 1, 2026, drivers caught using their phones—whether watching a video, writing an email, or simply holding the device—face a systematic two-month suspension.
In Villers-Cotterêts, some residents are still discovering the new penalty with dismay. Kamal, a father and SUV driver, was stopped three weeks ago while writing an email with his phone in hand. Unaware of the sanction at the time, he now fears losing his job near Roissy if his license is suspended. “It’s a harsh decision, there are too many consequences,” he complains. “In a world where everything is expensive today, losing your job because of a license—it breaks your morale.”
A Deadly Year on the Roads
The prefecture took this measure after a devastating year on the roads of Aisne, with 43 deaths in 2025—the worst toll in fifteen years. In the supermarket parking lot, opinions are divided. Some applaud the crackdown, like Maëlys, a postal worker on a bicycle, and her boyfriend Kevin, who considers phone use at the wheel “a serious offense.”
“They all have hands-free kits and they’re all on their phones even though there’s a screen. My car talks to me, reads my messages—that works for me,” Maëlys adds.
Others have completely stopped using their phones while driving. Rania keeps her smartphone in her bag. “I don’t want to lose my license; it’s indispensable,” she explains. But Fayçal admits he continues to text while driving. “It’s a gamble. If we lose, we lose,” he says, adding that he isn’t afraid of police checks in what he calls a “small town where there’s nothing to fear.”
“The Time for Education Is Over”
Since June, when the measure was gradually introduced, Prefect Isabelle Epaillard has already signed 305 license suspensions in just three months. For her, this proves that phone use has become far too normalized.
“Since September, I’ve asked that we not let anything slide. The time for education is over—we’re already at 305, even though we were in a phase of implementation with education,” she details. “This confirms it’s one of the major causes of accidents. Even for a brief moment, you’re obviously not looking at the road, so you can’t avoid a child crossing the street, or you’ll swerve into an oncoming car. So these measures are necessary.”
The prefect does not yet have enough perspective to assess the effectiveness of the sanction. However, in the Landes department—the first in France to implement it—the ministry says detected phone use has dropped by 12%.
