Driver Faces $100,000 Fine for Reckless Driving in Switzerland

In Switzerland, fines for breaking the law are determined based on an individual’s income, wealth, or financial status. A driver has been fined 90,000 Swiss Francs, equivalent to approximately $110,000, for speeding in the city of Lausanne. According to the Associated Press, the driver was caught driving at 77 kilometers per hour (48 mph) in a 50 kph (31 mph) zone, exceeding the speed limit by 27 kph (17 mph).

The driver, identified as one of Switzerland’s wealthiest individuals and a repeat offender, faces this hefty penalty due to the country’s income-based fine system. Under current regulations in the region, poorer individuals may face a night in jail for such an offense, while wealthy drivers are fined starting at 10,000 Swiss Francs ($12,300). For repeat offenses within three years, fines can increase to 80,000 Francs, as per a recent court ruling.

The Swiss newspaper *Twenty Four Hours* first reported the incident, stating that the driver is a French citizen listed among Switzerland’s top 300 richest individuals, with assets worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The speeding violation was recorded by an automatic police radar in August last year, with the fine imposed in June this year. Vincent Derouand, spokesperson for the Vaud region’s Public Prosecutor’s Office, confirmed that the driver did not contest the decision. Notably, the same driver was fined 10,000 Francs for a similar offense eight years ago. Switzerland enforces strict penalties for speeding, even for law enforcement. In 2016, a Geneva police officer was fined for driving nearly double the speed limit while pursuing a thief.

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