Hardly had he earned his license when a motorcyclist was pulled over for riding at speeds well beyond the limit on a rural road in the Loire department. In mid‑August, late afternoon, he was recorded at 143 km/h (about 89 mph) on a stretch posted 80 km/h (50 mph), on the D53 near the town of Salles, by the Noirétable motorized unit. A routine speed check, as gendarmes perform every day, but the outcome for this newly licensed rider was drastic.
Because the rider, aboard a KTM Duke, had earned his license only two days earlier. The service members immediately retained his license and then suspended it for five months. His motorcycle, meanwhile, was towed. In a department where authorities are reporting a clear uptick in road deaths, this major speeding episode on a probationary license is not treated as a mere slip.
A motorcyclist clocked at 143 km/h (89 mph) on the D53 in Loire
The incident unfolded in mid‑August 2026, late in the day, on the departmental road D53 that runs through the commune of Salles. The gendarmes of the Noirétable motorized platoon were conducting a speed check there. Their radar captured a motorcycle speed of 143 km/h, where the limit is 80 km/h. The gap far surpasses the +50 km/h threshold that pushes the offense into the category of major speeding.
When the officers intercepted the rider, they discovered that he had obtained the coveted license just two days earlier. Across the screenings, the motorcyclist tested negative for alcohol and drugs. The only factor cited is speed. On the roadside, the sanction was immediate: retention and then an administrative five‑month suspension of the license, and the motorcycle was towed, not returning to the road anytime soon.
Major speeding, probationary license, and rising road fatalities in Loire
In 2026, exceeding the speed limit by 50 km/h (about 31 mph) or more is classified as a major speeding offense. The Highway Code lays out a notably harsh set of penalties. The offense triggers a 6‑point deduction, a possible judicial suspension of the license for up to three years, and a fine that can reach €1,500. Since the end of December 2025, this excess is also considered a crime, punishable by up to three months in prison, a maximum fine of €3,750, an entry on the criminal record, and possible confiscation of the vehicle.
For a driver on a probationary license, the stakes are even higher. This license begins with only 6 points. A deduction of all 6 points means the license is canceled outright. The driver must then wait at least six months, undergo a medical examination, a psychotechnical test, and retake both the written and practical driving tests. The administrative five‑month suspension ordered by the gendarmes is only a first step; it could be confirmed or expanded by the court later. No further details are provided.
This stop comes amid a particularly tense period on Loire roads. By August 2026, the department’s death toll stood at 23, up from 14 at the same point last year, according to figures from the prefecture. Officials point to two major factors in these tragedies: speeding and the use of drugs, including alcohol and narcotics. A figure that inevitably shapes how law enforcement views this type of behavior behind the wheel.
Facing this situation, the gendarmes regularly remind drivers of the purpose of speed limits. “Speed is far too often responsible for accidents. The limits aren’t there to annoy motorists, but to protect and ensure safety,” they stressed, quoted by Actu.fr. A sentiment that resonates particularly with this interception on the D53, where a license obtained just two days earlier has already been halted, and where the administrative and legal consequences could follow the holder for a long time.
