Speeding, especially in residential areas, is a big problem for the authorities. Some European countries have very harsh penalties.
According to Forbes, in 2020, speed was the cause of 11.258 out of 38.824 traffic accidents, representing 29 percent of all accidents.
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Letter to the Reader — Why We're Asking for Your Support ContributeThe United States has some of the most lenient traffic laws after South Africa. But in some European countries the penalties are strict.
For starters, let's note that the US, for example, has some of the most lenient traffic laws in the world, second only to South Africa. The countries that have the strictest punishments come from Europe.
Denmark has relatively high speeding fines, especially in urban or populated areas. The speed limit for residential areas is slightly less than 30 km/h and going 20 km/h over this limit will result in a fine of 615 euros and exceeding 40 km/h in a fine of 885 euros.
In addition to the fine, according to Danish law, a driver's license is also taken for a period of six months to 10 years.
France and Monaco have the same traffic laws, which are relatively lenient compared to the rest of the world. Violation of speeding in populated areas is fined around 140 euros.
But what makes France and Monaco different is the fact that they send people to jail for repeated speeding offences.
Another interesting aspect of the two countries' approach to speeding is the reaction to foreigners. If a foreigner is caught speeding, the police can confiscate the vehicle and force the person to pay a fine on the spot, or their driver's license can be revoked and they can be banned from driving within French territory.
Although the fine can be expunged, getting the impounded car back can be difficult because the courts must determine how serious the offense was.
So, for example, if the speed limit is exceeded twice in a populated area, the car may not be returned to the owner and may even be sold at auction.
Switzerland is another country that has strict traffic laws. The country is known for its strict laws and their enforcement. The speed limit for residential areas is 50 km/h, while the maximum speed is 120 km/h on highways.
The maximum fine he can receive is 570 euros, which is considered a warning and is given if he exceeds the speed by 18 km/h.
Anything above will result in a driver's license suspension for a month or more.
If you drive more than 40 km/h than is allowed, then you risk jail.
Norway is known for its strict approach to speed. Norwegian law is extremely strict when it comes to speeding. This country has the lowest speed limits in Europe.
On the highway, the minimum fine for speeding is 720 euros.
But in populated areas, if you are caught driving 20 km/h over the speed limit, you can be fined up to 960 euros.
The maximum fine that a person can receive is 1200 euros.
If someone drives 25 km/h over the speed limit in populated areas, the Norwegian authorities confiscate the driver's license for three months to three years. More than 25 km/h, go to jail.