Like every morning, this mother takes her child by car to her nanny. But in the space of a month, she received two fines, because of a recent government measure, which is probably not correct.
Being a parent already means constantly doing your sums. Between childcare, diapers, milk, rent and unforeseen events, the budget is sometimes within a few dozen euros. So when a fine of 135 euros falls without warning, the shock is severe. In Ile-de-France, a young mother did not expect to be sanctioned simply by dropping off her child with the nanny.
Indeed, like every morning, Souhaila, sales director in Maisons-Alfort (Val-de-Marne), takes a portion of the Paris ring road to Bagnolet (Seine-Saint-Denis) with her infant installed in the front, in a rear-facing car seat, as required by regulations. But at the beginning of February, she discovered a fine of 135 euros in her mailbox. This is the second in less than a month, reports Le Parisien. And she fears that other violations will follow.
The reason? Having used the carpool lane without transporting “a minimum number of occupants” as required by law for almost a year. The principle is simple: it is forbidden to ride alone. Therefore, to use them, the driver must carry at least one passenger. The control is based on a computer-assisted video verbalization system. Infrared cameras take the vehicles from several angles, software analyzes the images to count the occupants and, in case of doubt, the license plate is noted before validation by a sworn agent.
But can a baby installed in a hull be considered a passenger? The answer is yes. The City of Paris confirms that infants are eligible carpooling passengers. In theory, Souhaila was therefore perfectly within her rights. In practice, the child can be hidden by the passenger compartment or the car seat and not be detected by the cameras. Several motorists, including parents, claim to have been fined in similar circumstances. If the town hall ensures that errors remain limited and that a human eye checks the photos, these cases raise questions about the reliability of the device.
So, what should you do if you receive a fine that you believe is unjustified? You do not have to pay immediately, because the settlement constitutes recognition of the infraction. The challenge is made online on the website of the National Agency for the Automated Processing of Offenses or by registered mail, within the deadlines indicated on the notice. It is advisable to attach any useful supporting documents: custody certificate, copy of the family record book, the child’s identity document, or even any element proving their presence in the vehicle at the time of the incident. The law is clear: a baby counts as a passenger. In the event of an error, the ticket may be canceled.
