Record number of licences lost

A RECORD 100,000 people will have lost their driving licences by the end of 2008.

The figure, compiled by the Ministry of the Interior and reported in Le Figaro is 10% up on last year.

During the first nine months of the year, 75,573 licences were withdrawn.

The figure has risen dramatically; in 2004 just under 40,000 licences were lost.

According the Interior Minister, driving has improved and, in contrast to the losses, the number of motorists regaining points is also increasing.

By the end of the year 1,700,000 will have regained all the points on their licence. In the French system people begin with 12 points and have them deducted for offences. In 2007 this figure was 1,431,000.

A change in the system in 2007 allows a point lost when caught for a small breach of the limit on a speed camera to be regained within a year.

In general, the number of points deducted in 2008 looks likely to be below that of 2007 (9,400,000) which itself was a drop on 2006 (9,547,000).

Photo:AFP/Dominique Faget