A new rule in Austria permits the government to seize and auction the cars of drivers who consistently exceed speed limits, even on a single infraction. This program, which has been in effect for a few months, targets drivers who go over the speed limit by at least sixty kilometers per hour.
The enactment of this regulation coincides with Austria’s struggles with rising traffic deaths, which reached 402 in 2023 a worrisome increase over the previous four years. Authorities in Austria anticipate that the new law will serve as a potent deterrent against careless driving.
Austrian officials believe that seizing and selling the cars of excessive speeders will effectively reduce risky driving, a policy they adopted after being inspired by neighboring Switzerland, which has implemented similar measures for more than ten years.The nation, which is well-known for its picturesque Alpine roads, has given much attention to the approach.
This tactic fits well with larger European initiatives to reduce speeding. Finland, for example, fines speeding drivers according to their income; in 2002, a Nokia executive was fined €116,000, or around Rs. 34 million, for exceeding the speed limit. Furthermore, beginning of this summer, all new automobiles must include Intelligent Speed Assist, a function that warns drivers when they exceed legal speed limits, according to a European Union law.
Austria’s new policy is renowned for its severity. A strict precedent is set by the Austrian practice of selling the car after only one infraction. About 40 cars were seized under the new regulation between March and April of this year, according to Austrian officials. with at least one vehicle already sold.
