Any motorist who exceeds the speed limit should expect to be fined. The punishment varies from country to country. In an international study, the car rental broker DiscoverCars compared the amount of fines imposed in Europe (read box). Switzerland holds the record for the highest fine for speeding because the penalty is imposed in proportion to the financial situation of the offender. On average, our country comes in second place in the ranking, behind Norway.
In Sweden, a fine for speeding by 14 km/h in a zone limited to 50 km/h amounts to a sum equivalent to 193 francs, the maximum fine outside urban areas being around 328 francs, which corresponds to 13% of the average monthly salary.
A motorist who exceeds 50 km/h in a zone limited to 30 km/h risks having his driving license revoked. Exceeding more than 30 km/h also results in the withdrawal of your driving license.
For exceeding the maximum authorized speed of 50 km/h by 14 km/h, the fine in Switzerland is 250 francs. The principle of a day fine applies to perpetrators of more serious speeding violations. The minimum amount of a day fine is 30 francs, but it can be much higher because it depends on the financial situation of the offender.
In Norway, driving at 14 km/h above the authorized 50 km/h costs the equivalent of 444 francs, which makes the country the champion in the ranking. The author of a speeding violation also sees 10% of his annual salary withdrawn.
In serious cases of speeding, the offender may have their driving license revoked for up to 36 months, or even face imprisonment. Road users who drive 46 km/h or more above the maximum speed limit can be sentenced to 18 days in prison.
DiscoverCars compared the typical penalty for exceeding the speed limit of 14 km/h in a 50 km/h zone, as this is a common speed limit in urban areas. The company also developed its ranking based on monthly income. As different currencies are used in Europe, the results of the study were formulated in euros which we converted into francs. The amounts indicated are therefore estimates.
