Switzerland's no-nonsense approach to traffic violations has hit one local millionaire particularly hard.
Nau The 58-year-old lawyer was reportedly tailgating another car in his vehicle BMW 5 series While driving on the A1 motorway near Zurich in March 2023, police say the man was eight to twelve metres behind the car in front, travelling at between 110 and 120 km/h.
At 110 km/h, a vehicle travels more than 30 meters per second, leaving little time for the car behind to react when it is so close.
Instead of admitting liability, the man contested the charge, although the Zofingen District Court found him guilty of speeding and subsequently fined him the daily rate of 1,970 francs ($3,481) 50 times – bringing the total fine to 98,500 francs ($174,050).
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The huge fine was imposed because of Switzerland's unique laws, which tie certain financial penalties to a person's income rather than using a flat rate.
In accordance with NauThe man's annual income is nearly 1.7 million francs (US$3 million), meaning his fine is close to the upper limit of the scale.
Although the man subsequently appealed the County Court's decision to the High Court, arguing that the analysis of the distance to the vehicle he was aiming for was incorrect and that the vehicle in front had not intended to brake, the decision was upheld.
However, the Supreme Court granted him some reprieve, reducing the original administrative fine from 15,000 francs ($26,510) to 10,000 francs ($17,670), although that does not include a 5,000 franc ($8,835) court fee.
In total, the man faces a fine of 113,500 francs ($200,555), including fees, significantly higher than the $200 to $500 fines that can be imposed in Australia.