Fines not paid

Foreign speeders show the authorities the long nose

Foreign drivers do not always pay when they are flashed.

(Bild: Kronen Zeitung/ Chris Koller (Symbol))

For years now, this has been making Styrian drivers red in the face: while they often have to pull out their wallets even for minimal speeding, many foreign speeders get away with it. This "cat-and-mouse game" was repeated thousands of times last year.

In total, there were 144,525 reports of traffic offenses in Styria in 2023, as well as 607 citations and 641 driving license suspensions against non-Austrian traffic offenders. Incidentally, police officers wrote 20,000 more tickets in 2022. This is surprising, as there had always been a strong increase in reports in previous years.

It is obvious that this problem cannot be solved at a national level alone; instead, a practical solution is finally needed at a European level.

EU-Abgeordneter Georg Mayer

Most speeding drivers come from Germany
All the figures have now been revealed in an answer to a question submitted to the "Krone" by SPÖ traffic officer Anton Lang to the FPÖ. Most speeding drivers come from our "favorite neighboring country" Germany - and here the long-term trend continues. In the inglorious second and third places: Poland and Slovenia.

Georg Mayer (FPÖ).

(Bild: Silvana Gruze)

In exactly 25,463 traffic offenses, the Styrian authorities remained stuck with the fines imposed despite initiating administrative criminal proceedings - especially drivers from Poland, Slovenia and Romania showed their noses to the officers. As a result, the general public missed out on fines amounting to 2.45 million euros. Nevertheless, foreign drivers had to pay a total of 7.42 million euros for speeding etc. 

"There is still a lack of effective measures against foreign traffic offenders. It is obvious that this problem cannot be solved at national level alone, but a practicable solution is finally needed at European level," demands the liberal MEP Georg Mayer.