The French law of traffic victims compensation: the present and the possible

France may be on the verge of a rational law of traffic accident compensation. First, liability insurance has been compulsory since 1958. Second, losses to cars are settled in a manner which is reasonably satisfactory. In case of a collision, the drivers are expected to fill out a form which summarizes the objective circumstances of the accident (respective positions of the cars, spots where the cars came into contact, etc.) and to sign it. By an agreement to which practically all automobile insurers have adhered, the respective liabilities of the parties are then decided in accordance with established plans. For instance, if one car rear-ends another, the owner of the former will recover nothing while the owner of the latter will fully recover; if two cars going in the same direction sideswipe, each owner will recover one half of his losses, etc.1 In case of damage without collision, of course, the owner of the car will recover only if he is fully insured.