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ANGLES MORTS – Duty in France

from
Markus Schmuck
Lawyer
Specialist in criminal law

Give me a call: 0261 - 404 99 25
E-Mail:

Since the beginning of 2021, the "Angles Morts" sign has been mandatory in France for all motor vehicles over 3.5 tons. "Angles Morts" refers to the so-called "blind spot". This is the term used to describe the areas around a vehicle that a driver cannot see despite the mirrors. These blind spots exist in all vehicles, whether cars, trucks, RVs or buses, directly in front of and behind the vehicle, as well as on both sides of the vehicle.

It is particularly dangerous when pedestrians, e-scooter riders or cyclists are standing, walking or riding directly next to turning vehicles: in the worst case, they are completely invisible to the driver. Due to their height and mass, trucks and other heavy vehicles can cause particularly serious injuries or even death in an accident.

The signs are subject to a strict legal framework: they must be 25 x 17 centimeters in size, have a red frame and a white inscription at the top: "Attention". The interior must be yellow-black and have a stylized cross. In addition, there are four triangular warning signs with exclamation marks, a stylized vehicle and the words "ANGLES MORTS" in capital letters on a yellow background at the bottom.

Three signs are necessary; if you have a bicycle rack at the rear, you should attach a fourth as a precaution.

The stickers must always be attached 1 time to the rear of the vehicle, to the right of the longitudinal center axis, at a height of between 90 centimeters and 1.5 meters from the ground. Two lateral markings must be affixed, one on the left and one on the right, within one meter of the front of the vehicle, at a height of between 0.9 and 1.5 meters from the ground.

If this is not possible for technical reasons, the signs must be affixed as close as possible to these specifications – up to a maximum height of 2.10 meters from the ground.

The statements represent initial information that was current for the law applicable in Germany at the time of initial publication. The legal situation may have changed since then. Furthermore, the information provided cannot replace individual advice on a specific matter. Please contact us for this purpose.