Debts to dad

Speeding BMW to be auctioned off: “Wants his car back!”

This is already the second auction of a speeding car this year. The value of the car: 30,000 euros.

(Bild: Leserreporter, Krone KREATIV)

He was still in possession of his probationary driving license when the 20-year-old decided to hit the accelerator pedal hard on Sofie-Lazarsfeld-Straße in Simmering in April of this year. The officers measured 136 km/h (131 km/h with a tolerance deduction) in the 50 km/h zone, a whole 86 km/h too much. The consequences: a heavy fine, additional training - and the loss of his beloved BMW. 

It will now be auctioned off - this was decided at the Vienna Administrative Court on Wednesday. "If I had driven 1 km/h slower, I would have been allowed to keep my car," says the Viennese in an interview with the "Krone" newspaper.

The 20-year-old had thus incurred a large amount of debt. The vehicle is worth around 30,000 euros and was initially paid for by the driver's father. However, he himself was on the purchase contract, explained the speeding driver. "There is even a debt agreement." 

If I had been driving 1 km/h slower, I would have been allowed to keep my car.

Der 20-jährige Raser (20) gegenüber der „Krone“

But even this fact did not get the Viennese a lighter sentence. He was not allowed to drive for seven months. In addition to a fine of around 1,600 euros, he also had to pay a lawyer. He had to fork out another 650 euros for additional training. Since the incident, the car has been in storage in Simmering, where additional costs of 11 euros per day were incurred. "I also stopped in front of the police on my own and was told on the spot that the punishment would be more lenient and my car would not be taken away," the young man complains. 

Harsh punishment for more safety
Despite these arguments, it is unlikely that the 20-year-old will receive a lighter sentence. The consequences of speeding were already made clear on March 1. This is because the law that came into force aims to punish reckless repeat offenders severely and increase safety on the roads.

For example, vehicles exceeding 80 km/h in urban areas and 90 km/h outside urban areas will be confiscated and possibly declared forfeited. In the case of repeat offenders or particularly serious cases, the vehicle can even be permanently taken away and auctioned off. 

Special regulations only apply to vehicles that do not belong to the speeding driver. These can be confiscated but not auctioned off. If the father had not written his son into the purchase contract, the BMW would probably still be in his possession ...

Depriving offenders of their "murder weapon"
The Ministry of Transport expects up to 445 cases per year in which the vehicle could be confiscated by the authorities. Transport Minister Leonore Gewessler already emphasized in March that the aim is to deprive offenders of their "murder weapon".

Current situation

• A total of 133 vehicles were provisionally confiscated.
• Of these 133 vehicles, only 13 were taken away permanently by the authorities.
• Most of the provisionally confiscated vehicles had to be returned.

So far this year, one vehicle has been auctioned in Austria. This was a Peugeot 208 with 110 hp, first registered in 2018, which was auctioned for 6800 euros. The car was confiscated in Vorarlberg after the driver was measured at a speed of 153 km/h in an 80 km/h zone outside of town.