NEWS

05Aug
2020

Fines abroad

Fines abroad

It is well known that from 2015, EU Member States will share data on vehicles and their operators, so that offending cars can be identified. There is no uniform regulation of penalties in the EU, it is up to the different countries to decide on the level of fines and the penalties.  Whoever commits an offense abroad is risking a lot of money. But exactly how much? You can find out in our article.

ALD Automotive Magyarország Kft. manages a fleet of thousands of company cars and also has significant experience with regard to foreign fines.  Our data show that leased company car users commit 38% more offenses in the summer compared to other periods of the year. The average value of the fines imposed is HUF 32,000.

In neighboring countries, the authorities apply different penalty rates. Infringement decisions for the cars of our fleet come most often from Austria, Croatia and Italy. We have summarized the rules of these countries, let's see the situation!

AUSTRIA

Austria is in the first place. Many of the company cars we manage are regularly penalized on Austrian roads. Although the penalties in Austria are not the highest compared to the EU average, don’t be happy, because the level of tolerance is very low. In populated settlements the tolerance is +5 km/h, outside inhabited settlements it is only + 5%. This means that they can be penalized in the city from as low as 53-55 km/h. Austrians prefer to install a traffic light on a section of road where speeds need to be temporarily reduced.
Other violations: the limit for alcohol consumption is 0.5 per thousand, the average phone usage on the go costs 50 euros, irregular overtaking costs 70 euros, driving through a red light costs 70 euros.

CROATIA

In Croatia, the introduction of an average speedometer is planned for next year. But it’s not worth leaning back until then and racing our company car to the beach, because Croats are still fining breaching motorists; you can even expect more frequent inspections in the summer. It is not recommended to protect against speedometers with a radar indicator or traffic detector, as these devices are banned in Croatia.
Police may impose a fine on the spot, but it is not mandatory to pay on the spot. The on-site fine must be paid within eight days. The alcohol level can be up to 0.5 per thousand, telephone use on the go is subject to a fine of EUR 65, irregular overtaking is EUR 90 and driving through a prohibited sign is subject to a fine of EUR 260. Based on the experience of ALD Automotive Magyarország Kft.'s fleet management, the fines are mainly accumulated during the summer season, most of the penalties are imposed on Hungarian motorists for irregular parking. Brought-back penalties: Many of our leased vehicles have already received a lawyer's summons for a violation in Croatia that was believed to have been forgotten, but for a significant amount.

ITALY

Italy, like Spain, has flexible road traffic, especially regarding the police. Compared to Austria, for example, there are fewer fines to our fleet for speeding. On-the-spot fines may be imposed in Italy. The official speed limit on Italian motorways is 130 km/h, but quite a few ignore this and drive as fast as their car allows. The tolerance is quite narrow: below 100 km/h + 5 km/h and above 5%. With regard to mandatory car accessories, please note that the Italian authorities may check the presence of a mandatory reflective vest in motor vehicles. Experience with fines has shown that recovery penalties are most often imposed on company cars in the fleet holidaying in Italy. This is because in large cities, the boundaries of closed areas are indicated only by Italian-language signs and there is nothing to prevent entry. Many of our unsuspecting drivers have fallen victim to this.
The amount of the fine on the spot can be very high, up to hundreds of euros and non-payment of the penalty can have other serious consequences (confiscation of driving license or vehicle). In addition, penalties are not infrequently posted after a year.

author: Andrea Rékai - ALD Head of Used Car Sales