Switzerland Fined a BMW Driver Over $100,000 for Tailgating—Because He Could Afford It

Switzerland may have finally figured out how to discourage bad driving.

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A lawyer in the European country has been fined more than the equivalent of $115,000 for his antics behind the wheel. His costly crime: following another car too closely in his BMW. Yes, tailgating.

The unnamed 58-year-old man was driving his turbo-diesel 540d on the A1 highway near Zurich in March of 2023 when he was caught in the act, according to local news website Nau.ch . He was pulled over and ticketed after he was observed allegedly following a leading vehicle at an unsafe distance (26 to 40 feet) at speeds of up to 74 mph.

We know what you’re probably thinking: Tailgating is bad, but not six figures bad. In New York, a first offense will set you back up to $150 and points on your license. In Los Angeles, the penalty is a touch steeper, with the fine coming in at $238 and a point on your license.

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Things are different in Switzerland, though, according to Road and Track . The country utilizes a Day-Fine system, which stipulates that fines for traffic offenses, like speeding and tailgating, are based on the accused party’s income. This allows courts to set penalties between 30 and 300 francs, or $35 to $355, for such infractions.

This is where the fine starts to balloon. After the driver was found guilty of tailgating in Zofingen District Court he was fined around $116,000 (which is 50 times a daily rate of $2,328) along with a secondary fine of roughly $16,000, because his annual net income is $2 million. The public prosecutor also said that his action behind the wheel posed a serious threat to others on the road.

The man appealed the decision to a higher court, arguing that he wasn’t read his rights before being questioned and that following distance can’t be accurately determined from a video. The court didn’t buy this but did reduce his secondary fine by a whopping $5,000. A second appeal also failed to sway the court’s thinking on the manner. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he’s not done yet. He can still take the matter up with a federal court.

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