Confiscation in case of exceeding the limits

From March 1, the Austrian authorities will have the authority temporarily remove vehicles when the speed exceeds 60 km/h in populated areas and over 70 km/h outside populated areas. For more serious violations (speed exceeding 80 km/h in populated areas or 90 km/h outside populated areas), the vehicle may be confiscated forever and put up for auction. These new rules do not distinguish between Austrian and foreign drivers, which also affects many German motorists who use Austrian roads every year. However, the driving ban imposed in Austria remains limited to the territory of Austria. And be careful, because if you exceed the speed by more than 40 km/h in urban areas and more than 50 km/h outside this country, your driving license can be suspended for a month!

For German drivers who frequently travel on Austrian roads, these rules significantly increase the risks associated with breaking the speed limit. ADAC points out that Austrian speeding fines can be applied in Germany, thus expanding the scope of Austrian legislation beyond its borders. Also in Germany, significant changes were made to the register of fines in 2024, with the deprivation of driving licenses for exceeding the speed of 40 km/h in urban conditions and fines of up to 100,000 euros in cases of violations marked with a red dot. on a vehicle.

Remedies and Procedures for Injured Drivers

The adoption of these tougher measures against speeding is motivated by the desire to send a clear and unambiguous message. Austrian authorities say speeding poses a direct threat to the lives of innocent people on the roads. The main goal of these measures is to increase road safety by actively preventing dangerous behavior. Directly attacking the vehicles of violators, the government hopes to create a significant impact on driver behavior, thereby encouraging them to strictly adhere to speed limits. This approach is part of a broader vision to create safer roads for all involved, especially pedestrians and other drivers on the roadway.

Regardless of whether the driver is the owner of the car or not, special rules apply in case of confiscation. There is an option for the rightful owner to get the vehicle back if he can prove that he was not at fault.

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