Unofficially mentioned by the Ministry of the Interior to several journalists, the idea of no longer deducting license points for speeding less than 5 km / h compared to the authorized speed caused, Thursday, May 26 , first political reactions. These were certainly expected on Place Beauvau, where no decision on this subject has yet been taken, two weeks before the legislative elections.
The spokesperson for La République en Marche, Maud Bregeon, confirmed on RMC, Thursday morning, that “nothing is done as we speak” and that the project “is part of a global reflection”. The avenue explored at Place Beauvau would consist of no longer deducting points for a “little excess” while keeping the fines, which would concern 58% of the 12.5 million tickets sent for speeding checked by radars. One of the stated objectives is to reduce the number of false declarations by drivers, some of whom have themselves replaced by a third party to avoid losing license points.
But the opposition sees it above all as a political maneuver. During a trip to Seine-Maritime as part of the legislative campaign, the former candidate of the National Rally (RN), Marine Le Pen, reminded the press that she had taken this measure as part of the presidential. But “every time Emmanuel Macron takes up a proposal that I was able to make, he does it more badly” : the MP for Pas-de-Calais, candidate for re-election, recommends for her part not to withdraw points for excesses of less than 20 km / h. What is on the table, according to her, is therefore “a tiny tiny gift”. « Beware of promises that are made in the fortnight before the election because as a rule, they are not kept”also warned the former candidate for the Elysée Palace.
“It’s Christmas before time”
For Jordan Bardella, president of the RN and guest of the morning show of France 2, Thursday, “It’s Christmas before time” from the government. “It’s always great, election periods”he commented, before noting: “We were the first in political life (…) to demand the end of the points license, explaining that motorists were not cash cows. » If he is therefore in favor of such a measure, “In the automotive field, the priority is obviously the reduction of taxes on gasoline”said the MEP.
The president of the Republicans, Christian Jacob, also considered that “removing the small point deductions is rather a good thing that goes in the right direction”. However, “We must maintain the fine absolutely, otherwise there is no limit”he judged with RTL, before estimating that “as we are in an election period, we can have doubts about the announcements”. With President Emmanuel Macron, “We experienced a lot of differences” in between “words and deeds”according to him.
The reactions were less enthusiastic on the side of road safety associations. The president of the League against road violence, Chantal Perrichon, considered with Agence France-Presse that it was necessary to be “of a crass and hallucinating ignorance to propose this”. “It is by fighting against minor speeding that there will be a drop in mortality”she hammered.
For Anne Lavaud, general delegate of the Road Prevention association, creating a “threshold elasticity” could be taken “as an invitation to drive faster, at a time when road safety figures are on the rise again”. “This seems to us to undermine the penalty points system, often taken as an example abroad and appreciated by the French”she said.
Conversely, this reflection “going in the right direction” for Pierre Chasseray, general delegate of the association 40 million motorists. “We are finally listened to. It’s a first step. Then, if the figures show that accidents are not increasing, in my opinion, we will have to consider adjusting the financial penalties”he commented.