Police launch mass speeding crackdown
Thousands of German police officers will hit the country's roads on Thursday for a mass speed-check. Before setting off, their biggest union called for higher fines for speeders – to bring them in line with the EU.
“We think harder sanctions are necessary in order to deter [those who break the speed limit],” said national head of the DPolG police union Rainer Wendt on Wednesday. “Our fines are incomprehensibly low in comparison with those in the rest of the EU,” he added.
Fines for speeding start at €15 for breaking the limit by up to 10km/h in an urban area. Going over 70km/h in an urban area can set a driver back €680.
Authorities at the union think that people who break 100kmh in a reduced traffic area should have to hand over their licence straight away. Drink drivers should be legally obligated to undergo psychiatric assessment, it added.
While Wendt does think that the majority of Germany's drivers are behaving on the roads, “10 to 15 percent are unrestrained speed-freaks who put others at risk with their lack of foresight and consideration,” he said.
The so-called “Blitz-Marathon” began on Thursday morning across the entire country, with over 15,000 officers at 8,700 locations checking for speeding. They often take place on a state-level, but less frequently nationally.
Going too fast “is one of the main causes of traffic accidents, which are often followed by indescribable suffering,” a statement from the union said on Wednesday.
READ MORE: Bavarian leader: charge foreigners autobahn fee
DPA/The Local/jcw
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“We think harder sanctions are necessary in order to deter [those who break the speed limit],” said national head of the DPolG police union Rainer Wendt on Wednesday. “Our fines are incomprehensibly low in comparison with those in the rest of the EU,” he added.
Fines for speeding start at €15 for breaking the limit by up to 10km/h in an urban area. Going over 70km/h in an urban area can set a driver back €680.
Authorities at the union think that people who break 100kmh in a reduced traffic area should have to hand over their licence straight away. Drink drivers should be legally obligated to undergo psychiatric assessment, it added.
While Wendt does think that the majority of Germany's drivers are behaving on the roads, “10 to 15 percent are unrestrained speed-freaks who put others at risk with their lack of foresight and consideration,” he said.
The so-called “Blitz-Marathon” began on Thursday morning across the entire country, with over 15,000 officers at 8,700 locations checking for speeding. They often take place on a state-level, but less frequently nationally.
Going too fast “is one of the main causes of traffic accidents, which are often followed by indescribable suffering,” a statement from the union said on Wednesday.
READ MORE: Bavarian leader: charge foreigners autobahn fee
DPA/The Local/jcw
Follow us on Twitter @thelocalgermany
Like The Local Germany on Facebook
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