Speeding on vacation: in these countries, you’ll get sky-high fines or lose your license
Fines in Switzerland
In the Netherlands, we think the fines are hefty, but that is dwarfed by some European countries, according to a survey by the website wegenvignetten.nl. Take Switzerland, for example. In the Alpine country, the amounts are in fact income-dependent as soon as you drive more than 25 km/h too fast outside built-up areas. Do you earn well? Then you also pay well. In extreme cases, fines of tens of thousands of euros have even been handed out to extremely rich speeders. Switzerland is therefore not the country to just set the cruise control to 140.
France, Italy, Croatia
In southern European countries, the system is somewhat simpler – and, to say the least, striking. Whether you are speeding 10 or 40 km/h, in countries such as France, Italy, Croatia and Luxembourg, you simply pay the same amount in many cases. However, there are additional penalties for larger offenses, such as points on your driving license or confiscation of your license. So the risk of a sudden vacation interruption remains.
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Dutch are also ‘point counters’
And those who think that foreign points on the driver’s license do not apply to Dutch nationals will be deceived. Even as a Dutch driver, you can be temporarily banned from driving in countries such as Germany or Switzerland. If you pile up multiple violations – or if you already have a history on European roads – you may just find yourself unwelcome on the road for months.
Discounts on fines
One positive then? In many countries, you get a discount if you pay quickly. In France, a fine of 135 euros drops to 90 if you pay within two weeks. In Italy, you grab a 30 percent discount if you pay within five days. And Spain goes the extra mile: those who pay quickly often pay only half.
Belgium: calling while driving?
The strictest approach to talking on the phone behind the wheel comes from an unexpected quarter: Belgium. There you will not only lose 174 euros if you are caught driving with your phone in your hand – you will also lose your license for fifteen days. Also as a Dutchman. Make no mistake: the police in Belgium check strictly and they really get through. In Germany and Austria, you are “only” 100 euros for the same offense.