This law didn’t come at a breakneck pace – but it is here now. In April 2020, the German Conference of Transport Ministers adopted a new catalog of fines. Heavy increases in buses were planned, especially when speeding was exceeded – including driving bans from 21 km / h too much on the speedometer. But shortly after they came into force, the regulations had to be withdrawn due to a formal error – a huge embarrassment.
In the second attempt, the German Federal Ministry of Transport took its time. Perhaps also because of the car affinity of the soon-to-be-outgoing Federal Minister of Transport, Andreas Scheuer. But now the new rules are in the towel: the specific date has not yet been set, but they should still apply from this autumn! The prerequisite for this is their publication in the German Federal Law Gazette.
Double buses and driving bans
Important for Swiss drivers who like to use German autobahns without a speed limit: the buses increase significantly due to excessive speed. And: even on buses that are significantly deeper than in Switzerland, driving bans are imminent.
If the speed is up to 20 km / h too fast in urban areas, the buses generally double; in addition, it is sensitively increased. At 21 to 25 km / h too fast, 115 euros are due plus one point in the traffic offender card in Flensburg, Germany. At 51 to 60 km / h too much it will in future be 560 euros plus two points and a two-month driving ban, over 70 km / h in urban areas too much will cost 800 euros, two points and a three-month driving ban (all speed buses in the picture gallery).
This is where the points are collected
In addition to buses, Germany also has a traffic offender index with a point system. The so-called fitness to drive register (FAER) is kept by the Federal Motor Transport Authority based in Flensburg. That is why the term “points in Flensburg” is used colloquially in connection with traffic offenses. Not only residents of Germany are recorded in the register, but also foreigners who violate the Road Traffic Act in Germany.
Since May 1, 2014, between 1 and 3 points have been awarded depending on the severity of the traffic violation. Anyone with 4 or 5 points receives a warning, with 6 or 7 points there is a warning, and from 8 points the driver’s license – for Germany – is withdrawn. With a warning or warning, the traffic offenders also receive an invitation to a fitness to drive seminar. Attending this seminar every five years can reduce one point, provided that you do not have more than five points in your account.
The entries in the FAER are deleted after a certain period of time. In the case of administrative offenses, this is the case after two and a half years, in the case of criminal offenses after five and in the case of administrative decisions after ten years.
In addition to buses, Germany also has a traffic offender index with a point system. The so-called fitness to drive register (FAER) is kept by the Federal Motor Transport Authority based in Flensburg. That is why the term “points in Flensburg” is used colloquially in connection with traffic offenses. Not only residents of Germany are recorded in the register, but also foreigners who violate the Road Traffic Act in Germany.
Since May 1, 2014, between 1 and 3 points have been awarded depending on the severity of the traffic violation. Anyone with 4 or 5 points receives a warning, with 6 or 7 points there is a warning, and from 8 points the driver’s license – for Germany – is withdrawn. With a warning or warning, the traffic offenders also receive an invitation to a fitness to drive seminar. Attending this seminar every five years can reduce one point, provided that you do not have more than five points in your account.
The entries in the FAER are deleted after a certain period of time. In the case of administrative offenses, this is the case after two and a half years, in the case of criminal offenses after five and in the case of administrative decisions after ten years.
Driving ban for Swiss people too?
This also applies to Swiss female drivers: if the German authorities issue a driving ban, this does not apply in Switzerland. However, those affected must send in their driver’s license. The German authorities put a sticker on it and send it back. From this point onwards, those affected are not allowed to drive a car in Germany for the period imposed. Anyone who does not send in their driver’s license can be put out for a search and not only risk a higher fine, but also a prison sentence of up to one year.
Further new regulations
But it is not just about new speed buses – the new regulations also bring new offenses and tightening, e.g. when parking:
- Parking in the general no-stopping or parking ban will in future cost 55 euros instead of the previous 15 euros.
- Parking in a parking space for the disabled will also cost 55 euros instead of the previous 35 euros.
- Parking a marked fire brigade driveway brings in buses 100 euros.
- Buses for unauthorized parking are new in other cases: anyone who uses a car sharing parking space with their own car or parks with a combustion engine at a charging station pays 55 euros.
It also gets expensive if you ignore the emergency lane or auto-posing:
- Anyone who does not take part in the obligatory emergency lane in the motorway traffic jam or who even uses it for faster travel can expect 200 euros or up to 320 euros in buses, two points and a month’s driving ban – depending on whether someone was endangered or harmed.
- Turning without considering pedestrians: 140 euros buses.
- Without environmental badge (need foreign cars in German low emission zones) or with the wrong badge: New 100 instead of 80 euros as before.
- Truck drivers now have to turn at walking pace in order to avoid accidents with cyclists on the bike path, for example. If you are faster, you have to pay 70 euros.
- Parking or even driving on hard shoulders, bike paths or sidewalks now costs 100 instead of 25 euros.
- And senseless and noisy driving around with avoidable exhaust emissions – that is, auto-posing with senseless “gazing” – now costs 100 euros.
But: The driving bans still planned in the first version in 2020 for speed violations up to 25 km / h too much in urban areas or 30 km / h too much outside of urban areas have been deleted.