Phone-at-wheel crackdown on drivers in south-west France

Drivers caught using a mobile phone while driving in parts of south-west France can now face the immediate suspension of their driving licence, as local authorities tighten enforcement in response to rising road deaths.

The measure applies in three departments: Landes, Lot-et-Garonne and Charente-Maritime.

In these departments local authorities have been given wider discretion to trigger an on-the-spot licence suspension for phone use - without the need for a secondary offence at the same time, as is the case nationally.

Road deaths rise

Charente-Maritime recorded 45 road deaths in 2025 - according to provisional data - four more than the previous year. Officials say the figure has stopped falling, with mobile phone use identified as a factor in seven fatal accidents. 

In Lot-et-Garonne, fatalities also rose by four, reaching 27. The Landes has not yet published its final figures for the year.

Announcing the measure, Charente-Maritime prefect Brice Blondel said the authorities preferred a heavy sanction to “a body on the side of the road”, arguing that deaths linked to distraction were avoidable.

Mobile phone use at the wheel is responsible for around 400 deaths a year in France, according to a 2025 study by car insurance body Assurance Prévention/Calyxis.

The study adds that reading a text message typically takes 13 seconds, during which time a vehicle travelling at 130km/h can cover 470m - effectively driving blind.

National law on phone use

Under national road traffic law, holding a phone while driving is punishable by a fixed fine of €135 and the loss of three points on the licence.

Since 2020, police and gendarmes have also been able to confiscate a licence immediately if a driver is caught using a phone while committing another offence, such as speeding, ignoring a red light or failing to respect safety distances. 

This can be followed by an administrative suspension of up to six months.

In the three departments concerned, prefects have authorised officers to request an immediate licence suspension based solely on phone use, citing road safety concerns and local accident data.

In the Landes, a pilot scheme has been running since November 2025. Drivers caught calling, texting or handling emails while driving can have their licence suspended for between 15 days and one month, in addition to the standard fine and points penalty. The suspension is ordered by the prefect following a report from the police or gendarmerie.

Lot-et-Garonne adopted a similar policy from February 1, 2026. Local gendarmerie officials have said the measure will not be automatic, but will focus on situations judged to be the most dangerous. In this department, suspensions can last up to six months, the maximum allowed under the code de la route.

Charente-Maritime has introduced the measure with suspensions of up to three months.