As motorcyclists, let’s be honest. We’ve all done it. We’ve twisted the throttle a little harder than we should have. It’s wrong, sure, but in our heads it sometimes feels like a petty offense. Kind of like a white lie or sneaking an extra cookie after dinner. Nothing major. Nothing life-altering. Until it is.
After enough years on the road, most riders figure out there’s a difference between “spirited” riding and just being reckless. Going five to ten miles over the limit on a wide-open highway? A lot of people shrug that off as manageable, especially when traffic’s light and you’re pretty sure there aren’t any speed cameras or patrol cars lurking. But blasting past the limit by a massive margin? That’s a whole different story. That’s not just bending the rules anymore. That’s flirting with real consequences.
And that’s exactly where France has now drawn the line.
As of December 29, 2025, the French government officially treats extreme speeding as a criminal offense. If you’re caught going 50 kilometers per hour (31 miles per hour) or more over the posted limit, you’re no longer just paying a fine and moving on with your life. You’re looking at up to three months in jail, a 3,750-euro fine (roughly $4,100 USD), and a criminal record to go with it. No slap on the wrist here. This is a full-on legal wake-up call.
Before this change, France already punished excessive speed pretty harshly. It fell under a top-tier traffic offense, but it only became criminal if you were a repeat offender. Officials now say that approach wasn’t cutting it anymore. In 2024 alone, authorities logged 63,217 cases of drivers exceeding the speed limit by at least 31 miles per hour. That’s a massive 69% jump compared to 2017. Clearly, people weren’t getting the message.
So now the hammer drops harder. On top of possible jail time and fines, judges can revoke your license and block you from reapplying for up to three years. They can confiscate your vehicle, suspend your license, ban you from riding or driving certain vehicles for up to five years, and even force you to attend a road safety course at your own expense. You’ll also lose six license points for good measure.
What’s interesting is that France isn’t alone in this thinking. Some US states already treat extreme speeding as a criminal act, depending on how far over the limit you go. Virginia, for example, classifies reckless driving as a misdemeanor if you exceed 80 miles per hour or go 20 miles per hour over the speed limit, whichever comes first. That can mean jail time, heavy fines, and a criminal record.
Georgia has its “Super Speeder” law, which hits drivers with extra penalties if they’re clocked at 75 miles per hour on two-lane roads or 85 miles per hour on highways. Nevada can charge you criminally if you exceed the limit by 30 miles per hour or more. So France’s move isn’t some wild outlier. It fits into a broader global shift toward treating extreme speed like the serious safety risk it really is.
So yeah, maybe we’ve all nudged past the limit once or twice. But blatantly blowing past it? That’s not a small slip anymore. At least in France, that kind of riding can now land you behind bars. And honestly, that’s a pretty clear signal that governments are done playing nice with extreme speed.
Source: France Ministry of the Interior
