Kent police officers have been working with their French counterparts in a first for road safety.

Two traffic officers and a French linguist from the European Liaison Unit have been

on an exchange with the Gendarmerie Nationale to combat speeding British motorists and fatal accidents.

They worked alongside the French officers at motorway tolls and service areas south of Calais, checking drivers' documents, vehicle condition, whether or not motorists are carrying high-visibility vests and a hazard warning triangle - and for drink-drivers.

The swap over the Bank Holiday weekend follows concerns from the Prefet of the Pas de Calais in Northern France about the high number of speeding British motorists.

Lieutenant Patrick Vanderstraeten, said:"Failure to keep to the speed limit has led to four deaths and 13 injured on the motorways of the Nord Pas-de-Calais since the start of this year.

"Half of the speeding offences detected at more than 200kph in this area have been committed by British drivers."

The officers also provided leaflets with road safety advice for British motorists driving on French roads, distributed 200 high visibility vests to British motorists who didn’t have one and, where appropriate, enforced the law.

Kent Police’s Roads Policing Chief Inspector Roscoe Walford said: "We worked alongside the Gendarmerie to give and receive road safety advice, learn good practice, help with language difficulties, promote the Kent Police Travelling Abroad web page and observe French procedures.

"We can always learn something from our colleagues across local, regional and national borders and they can learn from us."

Kent Police will host officers from the Gendarmerie Nationale in a similar operation in September.

•The travelling abroad section of the Kent Police website includes details about French speeding restrictions, road rules and signs.Visit www.kent.police.uk/Advice >>>

• See previous story - Kent police warns holidaymakers of £100 fine in France>>>