Speeding Penalties in Switzerland

[mercalia]

This is the way to do it?

"Switzerland introduced in 2015 a draconian new driving law, known as Via secura, which significantly increased penalties for speeding and driving unlicensed. The controversial law has seen a Swiss man jailed for 18 months and fined 4,000 CHF, plus two year's loss of license, for driving at 149 km/h in an 80 km/h zone."

[whoof]

Regardless of how harsh the sentencing guidelines are there needs to be i) Someone to enforce it and ii) A willingness by judges and magistrates to apply the sentences.

In this country the chances of getting caught speeding or using a mobile phone whilst driving are very low, which is why surveys have results with approximately 80% of motorist saying they regularly speed.

Supposedly if you get 12 points on your licence you receive a ban but one estimate says there are 8600 drivers with more than 12 points still driving. There are plans to increase the maximum sentence for death by dangerous driving from 14 years to life. No driver has received a 14 year sentence since it was increased from 10 years in 2004.

[661-Pete]

That could have been the outcome in the UK, if the driver had been charged and convicted of Dangerous Driving. 149 Km/h translates to about 93mph, in an 80 km/h = 50mph zone: that's 43 mph over the limit. By anyone's benchmark that's a dangerous level of speeding. So, the Swiss guidelines are harsh, but not exceptional.

[Vorpal]

IMO, for such extreme speeding, the punishment is not sufficently harsh. It's similar to the UK (no jail time)http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4598412.stm

In the Nordic countries, penalties for speeding are based upon the driver's income.

http://www.cnbc.com/2015/03/06/a-60000- ... cket.html#

[Cyril Haearn]

Nothing harsh or draconian here.

If you can't serve your time don't do the crime.

[Ivor Tingting]

This is the way to do it?

"Switzerland introduced in 2015 a draconian new driving law, known as Via secura, which significantly increased penalties for speeding and driving unlicensed. The controversial law has seen a Swiss man jailed for 18 months and fined 4,000 CHF, plus two year's loss of license, for driving at 149 km/h in an 80 km/h zone."

He maybe got of lightly. Although in the UK .............

[reohn2]

Regardless of how harsh the sentencing guidelines are there needs to be i) Someone to enforce it and ii) A willingness by judges and magistrates to apply the sentences.

In this country the chances of getting caught speeding or using a mobile phone whilst driving are very low, which is why surveys have results with approximately 80% of motorist saying they regularly speed.

Supposedly if you get 12 points on your licence you receive a ban but one estimate says there are 8600 drivers with more than 12 points still driving. There are plans to increase the maximum sentence for death by dangerous driving from 14 years to life. No driver has received a 14 year sentence since it was increased from 10 years in 2004.

This goes to the heart of the matter,without detection and enforcment,we in the UK are piddling in the wind.
The roads are a free for all,that's a fact.

[reohn2]

Nothing harsh or draconian here.

If you can't serve your time don't do the crime.

In Switzerland maybe.
However in the UK you can do the crime without any time,there's no cats and so the mice play all day long

[Username]

Regardless of how harsh the sentencing guidelines are there needs to be i) Someone to enforce it and ii) A willingness by judges and magistrates to apply the sentences.

In this country the chances of getting caught speeding or using a mobile phone whilst driving are very low, which is why surveys have results with approximately 80% of motorist saying they regularly speed.

Supposedly if you get 12 points on your licence you receive a ban but one estimate says there are 8600 drivers with more than 12 points still driving. There are plans to increase the maximum sentence for death by dangerous driving from 14 years to life. No driver has received a 14 year sentence since it was increased from 10 years in 2004.

Wrong. The chances of being caught speeding are substantial. Have you tried to drive a car/motorcycle these days? Its unbelievably stressful. Average speed traps are widespread. Its virtually impossible to do a long distance drive without coming across some form of [gratuitous swearing moderated] speed enforcement. Wish they would enforce the 2 second rule as much as they do with speeding.

[Cyril Haearn]

Regardless of how harsh the sentencing guidelines are there needs to be i) Someone to enforce it and ii) A willingness by judges and magistrates to apply the sentences.

In this country the chances of getting caught speeding or using a mobile phone whilst driving are very low, which is why surveys have results with approximately 80% of motorist saying they regularly speed.

Supposedly if you get 12 points on your licence you receive a ban but one estimate says there are 8600 drivers with more than 12 points still driving. There are plans to increase the maximum sentence for death by dangerous driving from 14 years to life. No driver has received a 14 year sentence since it was increased from 10 years in 2004.

Wrong. The chances of being caught speeding are substantial. Have you tried to drive a car/motorcycle these days? Its unbelievably stressful. Average speed traps are widespread. Its virtually impossible to do a long distance drive without coming across some form of [gratuitous swearing moderated] speed enforcement. Wish they would enforce the 2 second rule as much as they do with speeding.

Yes I have. I usually have the feeling that I am the only one obeying the law. At stop signs one sees that almost all drivers cannot read.

Average speed checks: to average more than the maximum over several miles is really evidence of substantial criminal energy.

The chance of winning the lottery (30 GBP) is far higher than the chance of being caught speeding. I do wish you were right, then millions of drivers would be banned.


Unbelievably stressful? Not on the M62 at the weekend, I engage 5th gear and glide along at 100 kmh in the first lane, move my fingertips and my right toes occasionally. Physically it can be be very relaxing, one must just be mentally alert.

[Vorpal]

Wrong. The chances of being caught speeding are substantial. Have you tried to drive a car/motorcycle these days? Its unbelievably stressful. Average speed traps are widespread. Its virtually impossible to do a long distance drive without coming across some form of [gratuitous swearing moderated] speed enforcement. Wish they would enforce the 2 second rule as much as they do with speeding.

The vast majority of drivers speed. One of the problems with this is that many people do not think that they are speeding when they are within 10% or so of the speed limit. At 11:00 pm on the M25, except for lorries, most cars are going 77 - 80 mph. A small minority go considerably faster; more like 100 mph. If there was a substantial probability of them being caught, I just wouldn't see that.

Even people going through average speed cameras speed, if only a little. They know that if their average is less than 5 mph over, they won't get a penalty.

If driving is stressful due to the possibility of getting caught speeding, there is a simple solution. Don't speed.

[roberts8]

Thinking about car driving being stressful I do not find it so. I do drive into south London sometimes but often drive to Cornwall and find it relaxing. I drive for miles on an average speed zone using the speed limiter so never get speed creep and stick to speed limits elsewhere. I love riding my bike when I arrive so stick to the rules and relax. I must admit that lots of drivers do break the limits and I never see a cop on most trips so yes we need more enforcement but as individuals we can help. Waiting for the rain to stop before enjoying a ride in the surrey lanes, hopefully uneventful.

[whoof]

Regardless of how harsh the sentencing guidelines are there needs to be i) Someone to enforce it and ii) A willingness by judges and magistrates to apply the sentences.

In this country the chances of getting caught speeding or using a mobile phone whilst driving are very low, which is why surveys have results with approximately 80% of motorist saying they regularly speed.

Supposedly if you get 12 points on your licence you receive a ban but one estimate says there are 8600 drivers with more than 12 points still driving. There are plans to increase the maximum sentence for death by dangerous driving from 14 years to life. No driver has received a 14 year sentence since it was increased from 10 years in 2004.

Wrong. The chances of being caught speeding are substantial. Have you tried to drive a car/motorcycle these days? Its unbelievably stressful. Average speed traps are widespread. Its virtually impossible to do a long distance drive without coming across some form of [gratuitous swearing moderated] speed enforcement. Wish they would enforce the 2 second rule as much as they do with speeding.

I've been driving & motorcycling for decades and could happily do so permanently followed by a police car and would not find it stressful. I've always totally ignored speed cameras it's really easy. You just need to know what the speed limit of the road you are travelling on is and then need to be able to control your vehicle, both prerequisites or driving/motorcycling .

[freeflow]

I've been on a contract since last October which involves a 5 hour drive up and down the A1 each weekend. I've discovered the value of 'cruise control' (and BBC iplayer downloads). Having done so its interesting how erratic the speed control of other cars appears.

I am constantly amazed at how many people overtake me when I am travelling at the speed limit.

[Vorpal]

I am constantly amazed at how many people overtake me when I am travelling at the speed limit.

Afew mph can be forgiven for speedometer settings. I know, for example, that my car is set on the low end of legal tolerance. That is, when my speedo says '70 mph', the car is actually going about 62 mph. So, if your car is set on the low end, other people might have settings where their car says 70 mph, when they are actually going 68. Or something like that. Also, many people area aware of how much below actual speed their car reads, and drive to actual speed rather than speedometer speed.