Measure shows effect

Result: speeding has already cost 13 Styrians their cars

If you exceed 60 km/h in the local area, the car is gone (symbolic image).

(Bild: Markus Tschepp)

For a year now, extreme speeders have been threatened with the confiscation and possible auction of their cars. In Styria, the measure is already reducing the number of fatal accidents.

Since its introduction in March 2024, the cars of a total of 13 Styrian speeders have been confiscated (at least temporarily). And the measure is already having an effect: fatal road accidents have fallen in our province - and inappropriate speed as a cause of accidents has also decreased by a good three percent.

"It's simply a law of physics that the stopping distance increases with speed," says Christian Gratzer from Verkehrsclub Österreich. Whereas at 30 km/h it is eleven meters, at 50 km/h it is more than double that. This puts yourself and others at risk, which is why Gratzer welcomes tough penalties.

Speeding is a male problem
Lower Austria is the leader in Austria with 42 reductions to date - Styria is in the middle of the field. "But it also depends on the density of enforcement," says the expert. The general rule is: if you exceed 60 km/h in the local area (minus the tolerance limit), the car is gone, on all other roads from 70 km/h.

Certain groups in particular tend to speed: "It's a male problem," says Gratzer. Young drivers also tend to be reckless, which is why deterrent measures are particularly important. "In addition, many speeders drive heavily motorized vehicles." This has recently been the subject of discussion, because taking a Porsche is supposedly more painful than taking a clunker. In addition, those with a borrowed vehicle have a clear advantage. Detailed questions like this are decided by the authorities on a case-by-case basis.