New traffic fines ‘too heavy’

4 January 2005

BRUSSELS – A new system of fines for motoring offences introduced last year is penalising Belgian drivers too heavily, says one of the country’s biggest motoring organisations.

Motoring club Touring told Tuesday’s edition of La Derniere Heure newspaper that motorists are now being unreasonably penalised for relatively minor offences.

Touring used several examples of what it considered to be disproportionate fines to illustrate its point.

One man cited had to pay EUR 1,200 after he went away for a few days and left his car badly parked with two wheels on a pavement.

In another case a woman who parked on a pedestrian crossing while she picked up her injured daughter from a tennis match was fined EUR 280.

The organisation also said new standard fines for offences like riding on a cycle lane (EUR 160) or leaving a parked car unlocked (also EUR 160) were too high.

Many road safety campaigners disagree with touring however.

They argue that the new fines may just go some way to ending Belgium’s unfortunate reputation as a haven for dangerous and careless drivers.

[Copyright Expatica 2005]

Subject: Belgian news