Anyone driving to France should watch out for a new traffic sign on French highways: some lanes are marked with a raised diamond, indicating that the lane is reserved for cars with at least two occupants – also called ‘carpool lane’. Taxis and electric cars are also allowed to use them.
The sign is often located above the left lane and is usually only active during rush hours. Ignoring it can result in a fine of 135 euros. If you are driving alone, you are not allowed to drive there. The system is quite recent and, for that reason, not yet widely known among foreign drivers.
You will find the white diamond mainly above the highways in the South of France. But recently, you can also find the icon on the Périphérique, the long ring road around Paris. It is often quieter on those stretches because in Paris, no less than 80 percent of motorists are alone in their cars.
Encourage carpooling and reduce traffic jams
With this measure, the French government aims to encourage carpooling and electric driving, which should ultimately reduce traffic jams.
The restrictions on the reserved lane apply during rush hours, from 7:00 to 10:30 a.m. and from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. A speed camera system on the median uses artificial intelligence to count occupants.
However, the system also takes into account drivers’ inattention or ignorance. Before a fine is issued, the offenders’ license plates are displayed above the road with the message that they are committing an offense by driving in the lane.
Other countries
A similar sign also exists in other European countries, such as Spain (Vehículos de Alta Ocupación lanes (VAO) or carpool lanes in Madrid and Barcelona), the UK (for buses), and Norway (for buses and electric cars).
For clarity, the white diamond is not an internationally standardized traffic sign, such as a stop sign. It is not an official symbol under the Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals. The white diamond is, therefore, official in France but not internationally standardized, and can mean something different elsewhere, or not exist at all.
