Two-wheelers must be equipped with gloves as well as their passenger from November 20, 2016.
A first obligation was mentioned by the Interministerial Committee for Road Safety (IRB) last October, which wanted to make the wearing of CE-standard gloves compulsory for two-wheelers..
On two wheels, equipment is essential
Currently, the only mandatory motorcycle equipment is a helmet. Road Safety announced on Tuesday, September 20 a new two-wheeled safety measure: the wearing of CE certified protective gloves.
The purpose of the gloves is to protect hands and forearms which are the most seriously injured parts of the body. The first reflex in the event of a two-wheeler accident is to put them forward to cushion the fall.
20% of victims of a 2-wheel accident are affected in the hands or forearms.
Gloves should be good quality so they can withstand the shock and protect these parts of the body.
According to a TNS Sofres study, in France, 12% of two-wheelers do not wear suitable gloves.
Two-wheelers are among the most vulnerable users on the road: In 2015, 43% of serious road injuries (12,000 people) are motorized two-wheeler users, while they represent less than 2% of traffic.
Road Safety had already sensitized two-wheelers via an advertising campaign showing the value of good motorcycle equipment.
What penalties for not wearing gloves on two-wheelers
Failure to wear a helmet is punishable by a withdrawal of 3 points and a fine of 135 euros.
Regarding the failure to wear gloves, the offense will be punishable by a withdrawal of 1 point on the driving license and a fine of 68 euros.
Even in summer, in high heat, bikers should be equipped with gloves.
Biker associations against this obligation
The French Federation of Angry Bikers (FFMC) is not in favor of this new obligation. Indeed, they denounce a "cosmetic" decision imposed by "the Fouettard fathers of government road safety".
"It is not against the wearing of gloves that the FFMC protests, but against the fact that they become compulsory under the threat of a verbalization and a withdrawal of points on the driver’s license when no life is is at stake and that the failure to wear gloves does not threaten the integrity of others. In terms of road safety, it is better to encourage than to oblige ".
According to the FFMC
However, even if not wearing gloves is not life threatening, there may be consequences for the rider who may following an accident lose partial or full use of hands and forearms.
It is therefore necessary to impose a framework around the regulation of the equipment of two-wheelers so that they are brought to protect yourself in summer and winter.
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