Will the cars of motorists driving far above speed limit be seized in Budapest?

Gergely Karácsony, the mayor of Budapest, on Friday said he will propose a regulation that would allow the authorities to confiscate the vehicles of motorists caught driving in the city far above the speed limit.

Karácsony said on Facebook that he is proposing that the Budapest assembly call on the government to draft a regulation modeled after an Austrian law that would allow the authorities to seize the cars of drivers speeding far above the limit. Under the mayor’s proposal, extreme speeders would have their car seized for six months for a first offence, while repeat offenders would have it confiscated.

Under the law in effect in Austria, motorists who exceed the speed limit by more than 80 kph in built-up areas or by 90 kph outside built-up areas are fined, have their licence taken away and can have their car permanently confiscated.

Speed limits in Hungary. Photo: Helló Magyar

Karácsony said speed cameras installed throughout the city caught 52,926 speeders in the first month. He said the most severe speed-limit violation happened in the 9th district on Üllői Road when a motorist did 158 kph in a 50 kph zone.

The mayor said stricter penalties were needed for extreme speeding in order to eliminate fatal road accidents in the capital.

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