The driver tried to appeal the fine, but a judge rose to the local police side
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by Brad Anderson
February 17, 2025 at 10:30 am
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- The fine was calculated on the basis of the driver’s annual taxable income of more than $ 1.7 million.
- Switzerland is one of the many countries that determine traffic fines depending on income.
- In 2023, a Finnish driver was sentenced to a fine of more than $ 127,000 for driving 51 mi / h in an area of 31 MPH.
No one wants to play with traffic laws in Switzerland, unless they have a profound appreciation of financial pain. The country is sadly famous for its strict fines and amazing fines, which can transform a minor violation into a portfolio drainage disaster.
Recently, a local millionaire was sentenced to a fine of nearly $ 110,000 for a highway, a penalty he later disputed in court. It is not a typo. In many places, it is a solid annual salary, but in Switzerland, it is just the price of being rich and following too much closely.
Read: Why was a Finnish driver sentenced to a fine of $ 130,000 after being surprised accelerating 20 mi / h.
While the authorities have not published sequences or images of the man heating up to the public, he was sent to the court and slapped with a fine of 50 days of 1,970 francs per day (equal to around $ 2,200 at current exchange rates). This brought the total to 98,500 Swiss francs, or about $ 109,500. The reason for the enticing amount? The fine was calculated on the basis of its annual taxable income of 1.6 million francs (approximately 1.8 million dollars).
When your salary determines your ticket price
In Switzerland, and some other European countries, traffic fines are not a single size. Instead, they are based on the income of a driver, a system designed to ensure that the fines hurt, whether you live the pay check for check or champagne in a penthouse. After all, a $ 300 ticket could destroy someone’s monthly budget that earns the minimum wage, but for a millionaire, it’s just an annoying rounding error.
Beyond the heavy fine, the Swiss court also ordered the man to pay 13,000 francs (~ $ 14,500) in legal costs, according to 20 minutes. The driver disputed the sentence after the initial decision last year, but the court rejected his plea after examining the photos provided by the police who showed him the heel. There is a silver lining, however – it will not have to cough the $ 110,000 unless it supports another violation in the next two years.
The history of Switzerland of crazy traffic fines
Switzerland is not new in traffic fines that make the headlines. In 2010, a Swiss man was slapped with a breathtaking speed ticket of $ 290,000 for pushing his Ferrari a little too strong. More recently, in 2023, a Finnish driver was sentenced to a fine of € 121,000 (~ $ 127,000) after being timed at 51 MPH (82 km / h) in an area of 31 MPH (50 km / h) .
What do you think of the final system based on Swiss income? Is it a fair way to ensure that penalties really dissuade bad behavior, or does it unjustly target the rich? Would you like to see it in your country? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
