Austria takes away the cars of 70 speeders
Since early March, the Austrian traffic police have been determinedly cracking down on speeders. Traffic violators driving significantly too fast have had their cars seized by the police. With repeated offenses, the threat of seizure and ultimate confiscation looms. The Transport Ministry expresses positivity.
According to research by the newspaper "Der Standard," in Austria, at least 70 cars have been seized from extreme racers. The latest incident involved a 26-year-old in Tyrol, who was driving at 180 km/h in an 80 km/h zone, according to the paper.
Since March 1st, any driver who exceeds the speed limit by 80 km/h in built-up areas or 90 km/h outside of built-up areas must reckon with the seizure of their vehicle. If there is already a significant fine, such as from participation in illegal car races, seizure and final confiscation are possible even with an overspeed of more than 60 km/h in built-up areas and 70 km/h outside of built-up areas.
However, there are additional costs for permanent confiscation and auctioning off the vehicle. According to the newspaper, which bases its information on statements from two ministries and nine authorities, only in two cases have vehicles been officially confirmed as seized. The corresponding administrative penalty proceedings may end with the auctioning off of the vehicle. One case involved a 21-year-old who was caught driving at 247 km/h in Vienna.
The Transport Ministry speaks positively about the "overall positive" initial experiences with the new penalties, but it is still too early for a comprehensive analysis. Austria followed countries like Italy and Switzerland with this measure. Already in 2021, the Alpine republic increased fines and the duration of driver's license suspension significantly in the first anti-raser package.
The Austrian government is currently reviewing its transport policy in light of international best practices, considering strengthening penalties for excessive speeding among other measures. Austria's stringent transport policy on speeding violations has gained attention on the international stage.
