From 2017, any UK driver who breaks motoring laws in an EU country will be tracked down and fined.
As highlighted in our blog last month, a new EU directive was under consideration but in recent days, has now been passed. It means any British driver who is caught breaking the law on European roads in their own car will be sent a fine from 2017. Examples of the laws that will be enforced include speeding, drink-driving, using a mobile phone behind the wheel, ignoring red lights and not wearing a seatbelt.
Currently, non-resident drivers can only be fined if they are stopped at the roadside or break the law when driving a rental car, the latter easily traceable to the hire company and any fine automatically charged to the offender’s credit card.
The move to make it easier for authorities to fine foreign lawbreakers is understandable – after all:
British drivers avoid paying 500,000 speeding fines in France each year.
Non-resident drivers make up 15% of speeding offences across the EU zone.
This figure rises to a huge 50% during holiday periods in France alone.
The law will cut both ways though with foreign drivers caught breaking the law on British roads also liable to be fined. The new fines system is being implemented via a ‘national contact point’ that law enforcers in the affected EU country will be able to access to track down law-breaking foreign drivers.
But the EU doesn’t plan to stop there – as part of the same legislation, it intends to review how it can ‘harmonise’ penalty points across the EU zone next year so if you’re caught, say, speeding, you will not only face a fine but also points on your licence.
The rule of thumb? Always respect the laws of the road whatever country you’re driving in.
Image: Speed Limit ©int2k