The rules of the road have been around for decades and are meant to make driving safer. Thus, it provides, in particular, sanctions in case of violation.

A new crime, about which little is known

And contrary to what you might think, rules evolve as the world changes and new decisions are made. Moreover, a completely new type of signs, still little known to motorists, is spreading on our roads. The latter is distinguished by a rhombus on a blue background or a bright white diamond on a black background. In any case, it points to a specific rule that all drivers should know to avoid penalties. But what is it about? Well, just carpool lanes. Last for memory born from Civil Convention for Climate in 2020. Their goal is clear: to encourage car sharing and public transport travel on motorways and expressways. Then they are intended for vehicles with at least two passengers. But that’s not all! Very low emission vehicles equipped with the Crit’Air zero emission sticker (in particular electric and hydrogen vehicles) and taxis, even without passengers, are also eligible to use them.

Guilt was severely punished

But be careful, because ignoring these signs and driving on these roads without permission can be very expensive, with a very large fine of 135 euros. Suffice to say, following these rules is critical to avoiding financial embarrassment. On the other hand, rest assured that if you commit this offence, you will not be at risk of having points deducted from your driver’s license. Please note that the reduced penalty increases to €90 if you pay quickly, within two weeks of receiving the letter. Since the launch in 2020, these dedicated lanes have been put into service on major routes, notably in Grenoble and Lyon. But that’s not all! The Citizen Climate Convention proposed generalizing the development of lanes reserved for shared vehicles and public transport on motorways and expressways serving the low-emission mobility zone. This proposal, included in Article 124 of the Climate and Sustainability Act, aims to accelerate the deployment of such pathways nationally over the next 3 years.

So be careful when you hit the road so you don’t get scammed!