“Get out once, please.” Last Thursday, a driver was in a particularly hurry on the Austrian Autobahn 12 towards Kufstein. The local police flashed the 28-year-old German at 161 km/h at a speed limit of 80 km/h. The driver therefore not only had to say goodbye to his driver's license, but also to his car. Significantly stricter laws have been in effect in the Alpine state since the beginning of March. Accordingly, vehicles can be confiscated by speeders if they are traveling too fast. This case is the first in which a German had to give up his car in Austria.

Control inspector Christian Viehweider explained when asked by “Bild”: “After consultation with the responsible administrative authority, the vehicle was temporarily confiscated and the driver was reported.” The driver with the Koblenz license plate had to think of something to do for his return trip to Germany; the authorities were not responsible for that. “The police don’t play taxi,” said Viehweider.

The 28-year-old was once again “lucky in misfortune”. Although his car was temporarily seized, he was able to pick it up again on Friday after the case was examined - and that is not a given. A spokesman for the Kufstein district administration explained that the driver was allowed to pick up the car again because "according to the legal requirements, there was no speeding of more than 90 km/h and it was not a repeat case."

An accommodating interpretation of the new, strict law. This means that speeders' cars can be auctioned if they exceed the speed limit of 70 km/h or, in the case of repeat cases, "if individuals repeatedly and completely incorrigibly drive at extremely high speeds."

On his next visit to Austria, the driver from the Koblenz area will probably take things a little slower.

Sources: Image, press release from the Tyrol State Police Directorate