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Regulations on the confiscation of vehicles after speeding offences have been in place in Switzerland and Denmark, for example, for some time. Now Austria follows and the cars of speeders might be confiscated!

Since 1 March 2024, this regulation has also been in force in Austria and has met with divided opinions, as the car can not only be taken away, but also auctioned off. With the exception of rental vehicles - the ownership of these remains with the rental company. It is still a problem that too many people lose their lives as a result of speeding violations, especially extreme ones. Austria now wants to counteract this.

Not every speeding offence leads to confiscation of the car!

A confiscation and possibly also an auction ist possible for driving at a speed higher than 80 km/h too above the maximum speed allowed and 90 km/h outside urban areas. These are therefore really high speeding offenses. The Austrian Transport Minister claims that the car becomes a weapon at such speeds and that other road users can no longer reasonably be expected to tolerate such traffic-unfriendly behavior. Therefore, the car should be taken away and auctioned off. The proceeds from the auction are to go to the state and road safety.

However, it should be emphasized that each individual case is assessed separately. The authorities have 2 weeks to do this. One of the criteria is whether the person has already committed a similar traffic offence. Under certain circumstances, the car can then be confiscated even for minor speeding offenses. The guidelines are 60 km/h too fast in urban areas and 70 km/h too fast outside urban areas.

Is it an effective measure?

It should be assumed that those affected will not be deterred by this. It also seems questionable whether courts should not rule on such an extreme encroachment on property rights. It should not be forgotten that criminal liability already exists in this area. Illegal car racing or even speeding alone are already punishable by prison sentences or fines. Killing a person in a car accident can even lead to the criminal offense of murder. The car can also be confiscated as evidence as part of an investigation. The extent to which the driver's license etc. is then withdrawn is a matter for the courts to decide. However, it is also important to note that this regulation also applies to holidaymakers. So if you speed as a German in Austria, you must fear the same consequences.

 

Picture: Pixabay/alps-4495741_1280