The French penal response to driving under influence (of alcohol or other drugs)

The analysis reveals a conspicuous intensification in roadside traffic controls and arrests as well as an obvious standardisation in the penalties applied to offenders, with higher proportions of fines.

In the French context of increased convictions for crimes and offences (+11% since 2000), the penal response rate has particularly risen for both drug-related offences (over 50,000 convictions per year, or an increase of 119%, and of these convictions, nearly 60% were for use, mainly cannabis use) and road traffic offences (240,000 convictions per year, up 35%, and six in 10 of these convictions were for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics).