Austria will take action against speeders from 2024 and have cars auctioned off – punishment can also affect German drivers

Reckless driving is dangerous, that should be clear. Nevertheless, serious accidents still occur. Austria will tackle the problem at its root in the future.

Vienna – Hardly any other topic polarizes as much in Germany as driving. A general speed limit is being discussed particularly heatedly. Proponents see this as a relief for the environment and a measure to protect road users. Opponents, on the other hand, primarily focus on pure ban policy.

However, statistics show that driving too fast has been one of the main causes of serious accidents for years. Not just in Germany, also across the EU. Neighboring country Austria is now taking tough action against speeders.

New speeding law in Austria from March 2024: Anyone who drives too fast will soon not only be rid of the rag

The Alpine republic has made it its mission to drastically reduce the number of accidents by 2030. To this end, numerous mandatory measures have been introduced for 2024, which also include appropriate assistance systems. Austria will show absolutely no mercy towards speeders in the future – the country is tightening the reins here.

Anyone who drives significantly too fast and recklessly in Austria from March 1, 2024 will face harsh penalties. In addition to a hefty fine and license suspension, if you exceed the speed limit, the car can be confiscated and subsequently auctioned off. Even a single speeding violation threatens to be confiscated, among other things OE24 reported. The corresponding amendment to the law prescribes the following action against speeders:

Previously, drivers and motorcyclists had to give up their driving licenses and were fined if they drove 40 km/h too much in the local area and more than 50 km/h outside of it. As in Germany, in Austria you can drive at a maximum speed of 50 km/h in urban areas. On Austrian motorways, on the other hand, speeds are generally limited to 130 km/h, and on some only 110 km/h are permitted.

Confiscated and auctioned: Austria takes action against speeders – punishment can also affect Germans

If the vehicle is permanently removed due to particularly negligent and recklessly fast driving, it will be noisy OE24 then go under the hammer. It is said that 70 percent of the auctioned proceeds would benefit traffic safety funds, and the rest would go into the coffers of the respective cities and municipalities.

Austria wants to confiscate vehicles from speeders: What happens to cars that don't belong to the speeder?

Critics of the new regulation complain that the measures could target many speed offenders. For example, if the speeder is traveling in someone else's car, or, for example, in rental or leasing vehicles. After the change in the law, these could be confiscated, but not auctioned. In such cases, the amendment provides for a lifelong driving ban for the respective vehicle, which should be recorded in the respective vehicle documents.

According to the ADAC, foreign vacationers and therefore also Germans are also affected by the new regulations in Austria – and therefore have to worry about their vehicles in the event of extreme violations. Drivers from Germany should stick to the speed limits as much as possible and pay fines immediately, recommends the automobile club. Anyone who has ever driven on the motorway in Austria without a corresponding vignette should know this. As a rule, a fine notice follows a few weeks later.

Austria wants to reduce traffic accidents – confiscation of vehicles after speeding will be possible from March 2024

In order to minimize traffic accidents, Austria had already tightened the rules for speeders in 2021, increased fines to up to 5,000 euros and extended driving bans. However, the deterrent measures apparently did not work. A further tightening has now been decided from March 2024. Experts estimate that based on previous speeding violations, 445 traffic offenders will be affected by the new rules every year.

In addition, the number of accidents has continued to stagnate in recent years. There were 396 traffic deaths the Ministry of Transport in 2023, driving too fast was the second most common cause of fatal accidents (25.6 percent) after carelessness (27.3).
Just before the turn of the year, two people died because the young novice driver lost control of his high-horsepower Audi. “Around 90 percent of all traffic accidents occur due to human errors and misconduct,” says David Nosé from the ÖAMTC.

“There is still a lot of effort needed to further improve road safety,” says Nosé on behalf of the automobile club, which fundamentally welcomes the regulations of the green Ministry of Transport led by Leonore Gewessler. However, minimal violations should not be lumped together with lawn. And: the measures should be evidence-based based on precise accident analyses, says the ÖAMTC. (rku)

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