The World's Highest Speeding Fines

[csv8]

The World's Highest Speeding Fines
Don't Speed Here Unless You've Got The Cash
by Craig Howie | AOL Autos
Posted: Oct, 08 2009



How does a $200,000 speeding ticket grab you? For driving a mere 25 mph over the limit? Well, we're not talking about the U.S. -- this world-record speeding fine was levied in Finland -- but did you know that the maximum fine for speeding in some areas of Canada could reach $25,000? American drivers may or may not consider themselves lucky that speeding fines top out here at about $2500 for the worst offenders and that freeway speed cameras are a relative rarity. But what happens when they go on vacation? Speeders beware: We take a look at the world's most expensive places to get clocked.
Finland, Denmark (unlimited)
Highest Fines: $200,000 (or more)

Even if you're one of the richest men in Europe, a nearly $200,000 speeding ticket is going to pang just a little (and that was in 2002, when $200,000 was a lot of money). The Trick here is that Finland, and nearby Denmark, both levy speeding fines depending on the annual income of the driver unfortunate enough to pick up a ticket. In this case, records showed that Jussi Salonoja, a 27-year-old heir to a northern European meatpacking empire, earned $11.5 million in 2002, which after a complex calculation by the courts resulted in the world-record fine of about $200,000. And all that for driving 50 mph in a 25 mph zone. A Finnish business executive also had a $165,000 fine reduced to a mere $9000 after he restated his earnings to the courts.
Canada
Highest Fines: $25,000

Though generally a speeding ticket at the higher end in Canada will cost you no more than $1000 -- which isn't an insignificant amount -- a motorcyclist caught at 164 mph in Alberta last year paid out a whopping $12,000 speeding fine in a deal struck with prosecutors that allowed him to keep his license. The same court also has levied an $8,500 fine on a motorist who struck a similar deal. And just in case you're tempted to put your foot down on the province's incredibly straight, and often empty, freeways, just remember that the maximum fine for speeding in Alberta is $25,000. Excessive speeders in Ontario, meanwhile, also can face fines of up to $10,000.
The United Kingdom
Highest Fines: $8,000

The UK, like many other countries, fines speeders on a sliding scale based on how fast the driver was traveling above the limit and conditions in the area the driver was clocked. But a Porsche 911 driver caught in 2007 at 172 mph on a rural back road resulted in British authorities doubling the fine for careless driving from $4000 to $8000. While the Porsche driver in question -- who police had clocked while they had stopped another motorist for doing 115 mph -- was merely ordered to pay $1250 in court costs, he was also ordered to spend 10 weeks in jail. General speeding tickets, which largely are enforced by speed cameras, are a mere $100.
The United States
Highest Fines: $2500

Drivers unlucky enough to be clocked at high speeds in Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, Nevada and New Hampshire all are liable to be fined up to $1000 for their actions. But strikingly, drivers clocked at speeds deemed unsafe in Michigan, New Jersey and Texas all are subject so a second fine being imposed a year later that often can tally more than the original $1000 once court costs are included. Last year, Virginia repealed a law that allowed a court to impose fines of $2500 for driving more than 10 mph above the legal limit, or a speed it deemed reckless. And be aware that jail time is mandatory for driving deemed reckless in many states and municipalities across the country.
Norway & Iceland
Highest Fines: 10% of annual income and jail time (Norway), $2700 (Iceland)

Travelers already will know that Norway is absurdly expensive in many ways, as Iceland used to be before its banking system collapsed last year, and their speeding fines are no different, at 10 per cent of annual income and $2700 respectively. But Norway distinguishes itself by imposing a mandatory minimum jail term of 18 days for speeding offenses deemed excessive alongside the hefty fine. Speeders can also face community service or a license suspension of more than three years. In Iceland, higher fines are justified by their supporters by the danger of driving on roads that can turn quickly from tarmac to gravel, often leading to unintended consequences for fast drivers.
Portugal
Highest Fines: $1800

While the maximum fine for speeding can top $1800 depending on an offender's income and the road conditions where the offense occurred, we're a little more concerned with the trend toward on-the-spot fines that are collected by the local constabulary for offenses ranging from speeding to driving while talking into a phone or failing to buckle up even in the back seats. Interestingly, most of the police vehicles are equipped with mobile ATM machines so there is no need for police to march a driver to a faraway cash point. Drivers who can't pay are forbidden to drive. But who, we ask, regularly has $1800 on hand, or a credit or debit card withdrawal limit to match? And what happened to innocent until proven guilty?
France, Switzerland, Italy
Highest Fines: $2100

Yes the image of a Citroen 2CV going far past the speed limit is difficult to conjure, and many of us also have been the victim of a tailgating Italian high-revving behind us in a tiny Fiat 126, but stereotypes aside, speeding is a seriously expensive business in western Europe, where enthusiasm for domestic car production and Formula One racing go hand-in-hand. Speed cameras are common and on the rise in France, and a speed deemed excessive can result in jail time. European motorists also are getting used to the fact that points levied on a license in a different country to their own now stand on their domestic license -- so a British driver that speeds in Italy can have points added to their UK license after a series of bilateral agreements was struck between European nations. Is the US next?
Australia
Highest Fines: $857

Speeding Down Under can cost you a pretty penny, and some may be tempted to put down their right foot while driving through Australia's massive, empty interior -- it'd take a brave cop to be waiting on a roadside in that heat -- but tickets here are increasingly expensive, and common, as a result of speed cameras. Redflex, the company that's brought so many red-light cameras to the US, pioneered its hi-tech systems here, and operates in most major cities. Be aware that Australian authorities are increasingly pursuing speeding tourists once they have returned to their country of residence, and note that, in the event a speeding ticket is not paid, a foreigner may have difficulty reentering Australia.
The Netherlands
Highest Fines: $800

Maybe you thought they all rode bikes in Holland, but a speeding ticket sustained here would soon shock you out of a previously held image of pedaling along windmill-lined bucolic country roads as the only mode of transport. A high-end fine levied for speeds deemed excessively dangerous can result in a fine of $800 or more. While every-day fines are paid to an officer on the spot, and penalties for tailgating also are common, drivers caught at double the speed limit are subject to state penalties including jail and having their vehicles confiscated. And there's nothing like having your car taken away to leave you riding a bike to work every day.
Germany
Highest Fines: $623

It's only on Germany's world-famous Autobahns where there is no speed limit, and drivers can, and often do, drive at speeds in excess of 180 mph in the land that gave us Porsche, BMW and Mercedes (if you've ever been caught behind a truck in one of the slower lanes, you'll know exactly what we're talking about). But that doesn't mean German authorities want the rest of their driving experiences to resemble the Nurburgring: Speeders caught driving at 45 mph or more over the speed limit on regular roads will face a fine topping $600, a three-month license suspension and four points on their license. Achtung!

My comment Our pollies had better not copy !!!!!

[Melz]

Well can't really complian now can we!!

Speeding fines based on wage earnings kinda sounds like a good idea!

[divine_afg]

What ! Its Cheap to speed in Australia ..... Fair Dinkum

[GTP owner]

But if you get hit with your 3rd high speed/hooning offense then you lose the car.....so if you do it in your expensive bmw, the fine is very high indeed

[tranquilized]

The Aussie governments have probably done the sums and figured its better to keep it relatively cheap, thereby stopping less people speeding, thereby keeping the revenue nice and high.

Oh hang on, its about saving lives isn't it....

[Fordman]

Fines i dont mind, license loss or car being impounded are my main concern

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by csv8

Australia
Highest Fines: $857

Speeding Down Under can cost you a pretty penny, and some may be tempted to put down their right foot while driving through Australia's massive, empty interior -- it'd take a brave cop to be waiting on a roadside in that heat -- but tickets here are increasingly expensive, and common, as a result of speed cameras. Redflex, the company that's brought so many red-light cameras to the US, pioneered its hi-tech systems here, and operates in most major cities. Be aware that Australian authorities are increasingly pursuing speeding tourists once they have returned to their country of residence, and note that, in the event a speeding ticket is not paid, a foreigner may have difficulty reentering Australia.

Mine was almost double that in NSW

[DJR-351]

Meh! thats nothing, try getting stung for drink driving in El Salvador or Bulgaria..

http://blogcritics.org/culture/artic...g-the-laws-in/

In some countries, drinking and driving is punishable by death. A first time offense in El Salvador leads to execution by firing squad, while a second offense in Bulgaria also leads to execution.

We have it pretty easy.....

[kircher]

I like that they often fine tail-gaters in The Netherlands. That should happen here, there's nothing more I hate on the road than people tailgating me on a highway/freeway.

[AWD Chaser]

Originally Posted by DJM83

Mine was almost double that in NSW

Highest fine for speeding in NSW is $2868 and 7 points

see: http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/in...mitButton.y=12

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by Kia Chaser

Highest fine for speeding in NSW is $2868 and 7 points

see: http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/in...mitButton.y=12

Damn mine wasnt that high. $1500

[388cube_edxr8]

Originally Posted by Melz

...Speeding fines based on wage earnings kinda sounds like a good idea!

+1
...

[ebxr8240]

If I lived in Norway I would get a payment then ??.. Lol..

[merlin]

Dosn't sound like a good idea at all to me - punishes those who work hard and will reward the doll bludgers.

[outback_ute]

Merlin - currently people with a lot of money only care about the points (which can be re-assigned), the fine itself does not "hurt". I'm sure the minimum fine would be no lower than today's if it were to change.

I knew the max Aust. fine quoted was too low (fortunately not by experience.

Originally Posted by DJR-351

Meh! thats nothing, try getting stung for drink driving in El Salvador or Bulgaria..

http://blogcritics.org/culture/artic...g-the-laws-in/

In some countries, drinking and driving is punishable by death. A first time offense in El Salvador leads to execution by firing squad, while a second offense in Bulgaria also leads to execution.

We have it pretty easy.....

What is the penalty for a second drink-driving offense in El Salvador then? :

[Bad Bird]

Originally Posted by merlin

Dosn't sound like a good idea at all to me - punishes those who work hard and will reward the doll bludgers.

Fairly simplistic argument that completely ignores the fact that you can work bloody hard and never earn millions...

[flappist]

Simple way to fix it. No fines at all only points.

When you accumulate points you have to do community service of for example 3 days of actual work per point.

Of course this has the problems of no more revinue for the state government so they will not like that at all.
And the civil liberterians and socialists will hate the idea of actually having to do some form of WORK because it is always eveyone elses fault.....

[castellan]

A Ipswich learner driver was fined $2000 for being clocked doing 200 KM/H and got disqualified for 6 months. last week.

[Cobra]

Originally Posted by kircher

I like that they often fine tail-gaters in The Netherlands. That should happen here, there's nothing more I hate on the road than people tailgating me on a highway/freeway.

There's nothing I hate more than some slow ar5e twat doing 20km under the speed limit on the freeway. Sure there's the fast lane, but that's usually reduced to those who beleive it's their God given right to sit there constantly when they beleive they're doing the speed limit, but in actual fact they fluctaute between the speed limit and 10km under, so you can never bloody use your cruise control.

There's a reason why there are signs on the freeway that say 'keep left unless overtaking'. Now, I'm not saying that you drive 20km slower than the posted speed, or hig the right lane, but I always have a laugh at those people who complain about tailgaters when there's usually a whole lot more behind it than just their versio of events. If people were better educated about road rules, and cared a bit more about road etiquette, I'm sure there would be reduced amounts of tailgating and road rage.

[kircher]

Originally Posted by Cobra

There's nothing I hate more than some slow ar5e twat doing 20km under the speed limit on the freeway. Sure there's the fast lane, but that's usually reduced to those who beleive it's their God given right to sit there constantly when they beleive they're doing the speed limit, but in actual fact they fluctaute between the speed limit and 10km under, so you can never bloody use your cruise control.

There's a reason why there are signs on the freeway that say 'keep left unless overtaking'. Now, I'm not saying that you drive 20km slower than the posted speed, or hig the right lane, but I always have a laugh at those people who complain about tailgaters when there's usually a whole lot more behind it than just their versio of events. If people were better educated about road rules, and cared a bit more about road etiquette, I'm sure there would be reduced amounts of tailgating and road rage.

Trust me, I don't do 20km/h under the speed limit ;) and even if I did, I wouldn't use the overtaking lane and hog it, so there's no excuse to tail-gate me. In fact there's really no excuse for any tail-gating. It's dangerous and rude. Who wants to be driving so close to another car anyway? You'd just about need to use 110% of your concentration just to make sure you don't hit them. The worst thing is having some idiot sitting a metre from my *** when I'm doing 50 or 60 in a residential area.

I agree, people using the overtaking lane on a highway or freeway when they aren't overtaking is as irritating as being tail gated. And there are people that sit in the overtaking lane doing 110, and don't move because they think they don't have to move to allow the 'speeder' through. The rule still says "keep left unless overtaking" though. My solution to this is to flash with hi-beams until they move. I don't tail-gate because it's dangerous and I can't relax without my 3+ second buffer zone. Most people get the picture with one flash, some take multiple flashes, but it works. If it's good enough for the autobahn it's good enough for me. I also get annoyed when I have to cancel cruise control on a highway for someone who can't maintain a constant speed.

[geckoGT]

Yawn!!!!!!!!

Here we go again.

[thefargo]

Originally Posted by outback_ute

Merlin - currently people with a lot of money only care about the points (which can be re-assigned), the fine itself does not "hurt". I'm sure the minimum fine would be no lower than today's if it were to change.

I knew the max Aust. fine quoted was too low (fortunately not by experience.


What is the penalty for a second drink-driving offense in El Salvador then? :

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