A study by the portal billiger-mietwagen.de on the amount of traffic fines in fifteen popular travel countries shows a wide range in penalties for traffic violations abroad.
While fines for speeding, parking violations, and driving under the influence of alcohol are comparatively moderate in Germany, drivers in other European countries and overseas face substantial financial demands. The survey illustrates that careless traffic violations while traveling can significantly strain a vacation budget.
Southern European countries impose hefty fines for speeding. In Italy, exceeding the speed limit by more than 60 kilometers per hour can result in fines of up to €3.287. Additional traffic data shows that Italy also levies a night surcharge of one-third of the fine for speeding between 22 p.m. and 7 a.m. France imposes fines of up to €1.500 for exceeding the speed limit by more than 50 kilometers per hour. In Germany, the fine for a similar offense in built-up areas for regular passenger cars is up to €800. Speeding offenses are also strictly prosecuted outside of Europe, for example in Australia (with fines up to €620) and in New Zealand.
The differences are even more pronounced when it comes to offenses related to alcohol and drugs while driving. France penalizes these offenses with fines of up to €4.500 each, which can amount to up to €9.000 when both substances are involved. Legal analyses of cross-border enforcement indicate that fines from other EU countries can be collected in Germany under the EU Framework Decision on the enforcement of financial penalties, even for minor offenses as low as €70. Furthermore, Germany and Switzerland have a separate police treaty system that allows for the mutual enforcement of traffic fines, directly affecting travelers in the Alpine regions.
In this context, the additional costs associated with using rental cars should also be critically examined. Aside from official fines, car rental companies typically charge a processing fee for forwarding the renter's data to local law enforcement. These administrative fees often range from 30 to 50 euros per violation and are charged regardless of the actual legality of the fine. Automobile clubs therefore advise travelers to carefully check local parking and traffic regulations, as appeals against foreign fines often fail due to language barriers and short deadlines.