- France is handing out €9,000 fines for mixing alcohol, recreational substances, and steering wheels.
- Italy charges up to €3,287 for excessive speeding and €2,000 for operating a vehicle while intoxicated.
- Greece offers a budget-friendly €700 fine for your first intoxicated motoring mistake, making it the ultimate bargain for tourists with poor judgment.
- Germany, the historic land of beer, only charges €800 for severe speeding, making it a discount bin destination for lead-footed travelers.
“Anyone traveling abroad by car or rental car should not only familiarize themselves with the valid speed limits in advance, but also know the parking regulations and blood alcohol limits. Our analysis shows that even everyday traffic violations can become significantly more expensive than expected depending on the travel destination,” says Frieder Bechtel, press spokesperson for billiger-mietwagen.de, which compiled the statistics (without including Greece).
The €9,000 Cocktail
Let us begin with the most spectacular way to empty your vacation fund: consuming alcohol and then getting behind the wheel. The French government has mastered the art of monetizing poor life choices. If you decide to mix a little wine, perhaps some recreational substances, and a steering wheel, the state will happily relieve you of up to €9,000. That is €4,500 for just the alcohol, another €4,500 for just the drugs, and a combined €9,000 if you lack the basic survival instinct to avoid doing both at the same time. It is almost impressive how efficiently they turn a bad night out into a state-sponsored donation.
If France seems too expensive for your particular brand of recklessness, the rest of the world is eager to accommodate. Italy is not far behind, ready to confiscate up to €2,000 from your wallet if you consume alcohol and then operate a vehicle. Spain starts its penalties at €500, while Portugal asks for a mere €250 to teach you a lesson.
The Hellenic Bargain Bin: Why Greece is the Budget-Friendly Choice for Your Next Intoxicated Motoring Incident
Now we arrive at the true highlight for anyone planning a Greek holiday. While the rest of Europe tries to bankrupt you, Greece offers a surprisingly reasonable menu of penalties for those who insist on operating a vehicle after visiting the local taverna.
For a mere €700, you can enjoy your first mistake with the authorities, provided your blood alcohol content sits between 0.5 and 0.8 g/l. This modest sum also buys you a 90-day suspension of your license. Should you decide to push your luck and exceed 0.8 g/l, the fine jumps to €1,200, alongside a one-year license suspension.
Feeling particularly defiant? Refusing to blow into the breathalyzer will cost you €1,200 and a one-year ban. If you make a habit of this, a second high-level offense will set you back €2,000 and cost you your license for two years. Compared to France’s €9,000 extortion scheme, Greece is practically giving you a discount on your bad decisions.
Speeding: A Secondary Way to Go Broke
If you manage to stay sober but still want to squander your savings, you can always exceed the speed limit. Italy takes the crown here, charging up to €3,287 if you exceed the limit by more than 60 km/h. France demands €1,500 for going 50 km/h over the legal threshold.
Australia asks for €620 for going 45 km/h over the limit, or €1,424 if you happen to be operating a heavy vehicle. Germany, meanwhile, caps its standard car speeding fines at €800 for going 70 km/h over the limit within city limits. It is practically a steal compared to the rest of the world.
Parking and Other Petty Inconveniences
For those who prefer a slower, more methodical way to lose money, parking violations await. Spain leads the European pack at €200 for improper parking. Germany charges €25 for a general offense, jumping to €110 if you block a bike lane or park in the second row. Switzerland fines you 40 Swiss Francs for leaving your car too long, and 80 Francs for parking on a pedestrian crossing. France starts at €15, Portugal at €30, and Italy at €40.
