Geneva
AP
–
The driver appeared at 27 km/h (17 mph) at the speed limit on the streets of Lausanne, Switzerland, and now he is facing up to 90,000 Swiss francs (over $110,000). But he can afford it.
Why is it an eye-opening penalty? A recurring criminal, the Speedster is one of the wealthiest people in Switzerland, and Vaud Canton or the region has fined him based on factors such as income, fate, or general family financial situation.
There is not one Swiss. Germany, France, Austria and the Scandinavian countries all punish the punishment based on the wealth of a person. The recent fines are not even Swiss records. In 2010, the billionaire Ferrari driver obtained a ticket worth around $290,000 for speeding in St. Gallen’s East Canton.
At the time, Roadcross of the Swiss Safety Group said the rich drivers were lightly punished until voters approved an overhaul of criminal law three years ago.
Under today’s rules, poor people may spend the night in prison in place of fines, but the wealthiest people in a wealthy alpine country may be in hook for tens of thousands.
A Swiss Canton court recently determined that Tycoon had to pay 10,000 Swiss francs ($12,300) in advance and could be forced to pay the remaining 80,000 if caught in a similar road breach over the next three years.
The Swiss “24 Heures” newspaper first reported the incident, saying the unidentified man is a French citizen listed by the weekly Billan of the Swiss economy among 300 wealthy people in Switzerland, and has a fortune in hundreds of millions of dollars.
Daily reported that automated police radar filmed criminals driving at 77 km/h (48 mph) in the 50 kph (31 mph) zone on Lausanne Street. A rapid calculation prosecutor tallyed the biggest fines drivers faced under the law, the report said.
Vincent Derouand, a spokesman for the Vaud Public Thesecutors Office, said the defendant did not object to a decision that was reported in June almost a year ago for the violation.
The Vaud Criminal Code sets the maximum financial penalty based on “the personal and financial situation of the offender at the time of the sentence.”
The newspaper reported that he had already been caught eight years ago for a similar speeding violation, paying 10,000 Swiss francs with a penalty and facing an additional 60,000 if another violation occurred within the next two years.
In Switzerland, the penalty for speeding can even catch up with police. One officer chased after a thief who was fined for the race in 2016 at nearly twice the speed limit through Geneva Street and blown up a bank counter machine.
