Company car loophole targeted

ROAD safety authorities in France are trying to close a legal loophole that allows company car drivers to avoid losing licence points when they commit a driving offence.

The Conseil National de la Sécurité Routière will meet today and is expected to vote in favour of changing the law.

However it faces a difficult passage through parliament as the change would effectively require company bosses to "denounce" the staff member of who was behind the wheel at the time.

Under the current system, any fines incurred while driving a work car are sent to the vehicle owner identified on the carte grise - the company. If the offence comes with a loss of licence points this is rarely applied.

Company bosses are at present under no obligation to reveal who was responsible - a "benefit" for the employee which the CNSR now wants to stop.