EU to expand cross-border driving offence information
New offences, such as dangerous parking and dangerous overtaking, are to be added to offences that foreign drivers can receive a penalty for at home address
MEPs have voted to add new offences to the list of offences that foreign drivers can receive a penalty for at home addressAlicia G. Monedero / Shutterstock
MEPs have voted to add new offences, such as dangerous parking and dangerous overtaking, crossing a solid white line, and hit-and-run to the list of offences that foreign drivers can receive a penalty for at home address.
These are in addition to existing powers relating to speeding, drink-driving or failing to stop at red lights.
For these offences, EU countries can obtain a foreign driver’s details and send fines to their home addresses.
The expansion plan must be approved by the EU Council, then countries have two years to put it into national laws.
It also includes more cooperation between states. If, for example, a Belgian-registered driver is caught on camera committing an offence in France, France will be able to ask for help from Belgium, which can, on request, take over collection of the fine if it is for more than €70.
The UK is not affected, as it is no longer part of such agreements.
EU states will also be banned from using private debt collectors and a website will be set up for drivers explaining rules, traffic fines and appeals options.
EU officials estimate that about 40% of cross-border traffic offences are currently going unpunished, so the updates to the rules are intended to tighten up on this problem.
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The new rules also oblige national authorities to reply to requests from other EU countries relating to traffic offences without delay and no more than two months after it has gathered the necessary information.
EU countries will have up to 11 months to issue fine notices from the date of the offence.
