法國交通事故的發生頻率及死傷情形,在歐盟國家中向來居高不下,多年來一直是嚴重的社會問題。以嚴格化的侵權責任爲主軸,搭配責任保險與擔保基金制度所形成的「民事責任普通法制」,在實施多年後,仍不免其缺失。尤其是,「對被害人保護不足」與「促成訴訟案件氾濫」。改革的聲浪,自然因應而生。交通事故損害賠償法的改革,乃成爲繼勞動災害事故之後,主導法國民事責任法演變發展的另一關鍵因素。 經由一九八五年七月五日法律的制訂,法國交通事故損害賠償法的改革,確定朝向「加強保護被害人,改善其法律地位」的方向發展一方面,刻意擺脫傳統民事責任法的思考模式,改從「被害人」角度出發,大量減少因交通事故受有損害卻不予賠償的情形,使得適用傳統民事責任普通法仍無法獲得損害賠償的被害人,仍可能依該法律請求賠償。他方面,改革損害賠償程序,確保被害人的損害一定可以獲得賠償,而且是在簡化、迅速的程序下獲得賠償,此外,如何盡可能創造誘因,促進公平台理的訴訟外賠償和解,避免時間上冗長、金錢上耗費、結果上無益的法庭訴訟,也是改革的重點。 值得注意的是,在一九八五年七月五日法律的擬議過程中,以廢棄法院爲首的司法體系,一直是扮演著「刺激、加速立法改革」或「問接參與立法改革」的角色,積極促進交通事故損害賠償法的改革。該法律施行迄今,已逐漸擺脫立法當時的諸多爭議,成爲普遍令人滿意的制度。
The main purpose of this article is to present the recent development of the french traffic accident compensation law, especially focusing on the reform of ”loi n°85-677 du 5 juillet 1985” (hereafter referred to as the 'new law') In the first part of this article, we will take a general look at the background and proposals of reform concerning traffic accident compensation system. Due to the high rate of death and injuries resulting from traffic accidents, the French has always considered it to be a serious social problem. The french traffic accident compensation law used to be based on its general civil tort liability system, which is made up of strict and objective (non-fault) liability, liability insurance and a special compensation fund However, this system on the whole is not entirely satisfying with ”under-compensated victims” and ”overburdened judicial systems” as the two main sources of criticism. Thus began the proposals of reform lead by scholar André Tunc and later on followed by the government. In the second part of this article, we will focus on introducing the main contents of the new law and its relations with the general civil tort liability system. The goal of this new law is to improve the status of the victims substantially. To achieve its goal, the new law is based on the victims perspective'. Therefore, many situations in which the victims would not have received compensation are changed dramatically. The victims would now be adequately compensated under the new law. In addition to this, there are many rules in the new law that aim to speed up the litigation progress and provide incentives for settlements. The role of the courts in the process of reform is another important point we should take note of. Despite the controversies caused by the enactment of the new law, as time passed, it is now turning out to be a workable and efficient compensation system. The French is satisfied of this system.