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THIS IS A COMMON DRIVING SCHOOL TIP BUT IT MAY NOT HAVE LEGAL BASIS Confusion often arises in France around the rules for stop signs on roads and the required waiting period drivers must
pause their vehicles for when facing them. Driving instructors in France often tell learners that when they come across intersections marked with the red stop signs, they must always stop
and wait at least three seconds before pulling out. They must avoid driving over any line on the ground demarcating where they must stop regardless of whether they can see traffic passing or
not. Indeed, similar rules – including a three-second pause at intersections – are in place in several other countries including the United States, where those who do not stop face fines
and points on their licence. WHAT ARE THE RULES IN FRANCE? The rules in France are less straightforward, said lawyer Jean-Baptiste Le Dall to French news site Le Dauphiné. “[At
intersections] marked by a stop sign, all drivers must come to a complete stop at the edge of the road they are approaching. They must then yield to vehicles travelling on the other road or
roads and only proceed after ensuring that it is safe to do so.” This is stated in Article R415-6 of the French Code de la route (driving safety laws). Those who fail to do this face a fine
of €135, up to four points on their licence – meaning those with a non-French licence but living in France would need to exchange their licence – and a possible three-year suspension of
their licence. However, the ‘three seconds’ is somewhat of an urban myth – or at the very least a safe teaching method used by driving instructors – and does not exist in the Code de la
route. People can search through all the texts, laws, orders and decrees, and the Highway Code, but they will never find any reference to these three seconds, said Mr Le Dall. In addition,
it seems that further clarity on the issue is unlikely to come any time soon. Several lawyers have had the “opportunity to submit the question of these three seconds to the highest courts,
which have sidestepped the issue,” Mr Le Dall added. Generally, a ruling by France’s top-tier courts such as the cour de cassation can set a precedent for future rulings, but as they have
failed to make a definitive mention of the ‘three seconds’, it remains up in the air. FOLLOW LAW BY ENSURING YOU STOP LONG ENOUGH Despite their authority, the words and rulings of courts
can be different to what often happens in practical situations. “In the field, police officers and gendarmes will of course pay little attention to the position of the criminal court,” said
Mr Le Dall. Officers will pull up drivers found breaking the rules as they see them, including unsafe behaviour at stop signs. In short, it means an argument over ‘waiting three seconds’
at a stop sign is likely to hold little sway if the driver is caught breaking the aforementioned article of law by driving unsafely. The ‘three seconds’ should not be seen as a steadfast
rule, but as a safety tip to help ensure you pause your vehicle for the right amount of time at these stop signs. In some cases, the pause will obviously need to be for longer, particularly
during periods of traffic.