The use of the horn is highly regulated but many motorists are unaware of this and risk a large fine.
The sound of horns is particularly annoying in a car. Especially when, stuck in traffic jams, some motorists think they can resolve the situation by playing their horn. Obviously, honking has never made cars move faster and it only adds additional stress to an already distressing situation. The horn is not intended to be used in traffic jams, but too many drivers do not know this or pretend not to know this. The Highway Code is however clear on the use of the horn in a car, and it provides for heavy penalties for those who do not respect the law.
Articles R416-1, R416-2 and R-416-3 of the Highway Code first distinguish between the use of the horn in built-up areas and outside built-up areas. In town, where traffic is heavier, it is specified that the sound horn should only be used in the event of immediate danger. To warn other drivers of a dangerous situation that requires rapid reaction, such as a vehicle suddenly changing lanes without signaling, or a pedestrian crossing the road recklessly. Outside of built-up areas, the use of the horn is only recommended to give directions to other motorists, for example before entering a blind bend, as can sometimes be used on mountain roads.
In the countryside, the use of the horn is even more restricted when it is dark. In the dark, a motorist must give priority to flashing their headlights and only has the right to sound their horn if absolutely necessary. We are therefore far from excessive honking, one because a driver has slowed down too much when approaching a roundabout, one because the car in front is not going fast enough, one because the The motorist did not start within a second of passing the green light… All these aggressive behaviors while driving, which can also create dangerous situations on the road, are punishable by a 2nd class fine. This is equivalent to a fine of 35 euros which can rise to 75 euros in the event of an increase (payment after 45 or 60 days depending on the case).
If in fact it is quite rare to be arrested by the police for inappropriate use of the horn, we can only advise you not to overuse it. The excessive side – we come back to impatient drivers capable of pressing their horn ten times in traffic jams – is more often punished. It must be said that we are very far from the primary function of the horn, which is to warn of immediate danger. It is also a way to combat noise pollution, which is particularly unpleasant in large cities, and possibly a source of discomfort for motorists and local residents.
