Highway Code Quiz

Answer: 50 km/h. In France, speed is limited to 50 km/h in built-up areas unless otherwise indicated, such as in 30 km/h zones or shared 20 km/h zones.

Answer: Priority to the right. In the absence of signage, the priority-to-the-right rule applies: the driver must give way to a vehicle coming from their right.

Answer: A danger. Triangular signs with a red border warn of a danger, such as a bend, a pedestrian crossing, or wild animals.

Answer: 18. Until 2023 the minimum age was 18 (17 to take the test after supervised driving, but solo driving only from 18). Since 1 January 2024, the category B licence can be obtained from age 17.

Answer: Stop and wait. As soon as the red lights flash or the barriers begin to lower, you must stop and wait for them to rise again before crossing the tracks.

Answer: By a yellow diamond crossed by a black diagonal line. The end of a priority road is announced by a yellow diamond crossed by a black diagonal line, indicating that the priority-to-the-right rule resumes.

Answer: A high-visibility vest and a warning triangle. Every vehicle must be equipped with a high-visibility vest, to be put on before getting out of the vehicle in an emergency stop, as well as a warning triangle to be placed on the road.

Answer: Yes, a white or yellow front light and a red rear light. At night or in insufficient visibility, every cyclist must use a white or yellow front light and a red rear light, supplemented by reflective devices.

Answer: Only the holder of a disabled parking permit, visibly displayed. Parking in a space reserved for people with reduced mobility requires the visible display, behind the windscreen, of a disabled parking permit.

Answer: B. The white stop line running the full width of the street should draw your attention, along with the 'no entry' sign.

Answer: 80 km/h. Since July 2018, speed has been limited to 80 km/h on two-way undivided roads outside built-up areas, though some French départements have since raised this back to 90 km/h on certain roads.

Answer: Danger, proceed with caution, passage allowed. A flashing amber light warns of a danger or an intersection to approach with caution, without requiring a full stop if the road is clear.

Answer: 1 metre. In built-up areas, the minimum lateral safety distance for overtaking a cyclist is one metre, increased to 1.5 metres outside built-up areas.

Answer: 15. Supervised driving can start from age 15, after passing the theory test and completing a minimum number of hours of driving school training.

Answer: 23. Visual distraction: to read a text, the driver looks away from the road. French road safety authorities estimate a message requires about 5 seconds of averted gaze. At 50 km/h, that is roughly 70 metres travelled without watching the road. Cognitive distraction: the brain must read, understand and sometimes memorise the message, during which attention is no longer fully on driving. Manual distraction: picking up, holding or answering the phone takes one hand off the wheel, reducing the driver's ability to quickly correct course or react to an event.

Answer: 5 metres. Parking is forbidden within 5 metres upstream of a pedestrian crossing, in order to preserve visibility between pedestrians and drivers.

Answer: Yes, they must give way if it is not dangerous to do so. In a built-up area, the driver of a vehicle must give way to a bus or coach pulling away from a stop and signalling its intention to rejoin traffic, provided the manoeuvre remains safely possible.

Answer: About 28 metres. At 50 km/h on a dry road, the total stopping distance is about 28 metres, adding roughly 14 metres of reaction distance and 14 metres of braking distance.

Answer: Only damage caused to others, not to the insured vehicle. Third-party insurance covers only property damage and personal injury caused to others by the at-fault driver, but does not cover damage to their own vehicle.

Answer: Within 5 working days of the check. If documents cannot be presented immediately during a check, the driver generally has 5 working days to present them at the police or gendarmerie station of their choice.