New alert to avoid wrong-way drivers

A NEW alert system is to launch in France to try to avoid motorway accidents involving cars travelling in the wrong direction.

There were 400 reported cases of wrong-way driving on French motorways in 2013, leading to 36 accidents and killing 17 people.

All of the country's motorway operators have agreed to work together to get information to drivers quickly when there is a risk of them encountering a vehicle approaching them head-on.

The traffic radio station on 107.7FM will interrupt its programming as soon as a wrong-way car is spotted, giving exact location details.

The announcement will also include advice such as not to try any overtaking, slow down, stop at the next service area and increase your safety distances.

Information displays along the motorway will also flash up a warning message.

Motorway operators' body ASFA says the decision was taken to target the campaign at ordinary drivers (travelling the right way) - as the sort of people who drive in the opposite direction are unlikely to pay attention to a safety warning as in many cases they are drunk, on drugs, or they are elderly and have taken medicines that are not compatible with safe driving.

Driving the wrong way up a motorway can attract a €135 fine, four lost licence points and a driving ban of up to three years.

The most common scenarios are a driver deciding to do a U-turn at tolls to take the previous exit, and drivers who fail to see the no-entry sign at roundabouts and join the motorway using an exit slip road.