Do I have to pay a fine if I get caught speeding in Switzerland in a foreign car?
If you get flashed by a speed camera on a Swiss road in a foreign-registration vehicle, these are the things you should know.
It goes without saying (though it bears repeating), that no one should exceed a speed limit, whether driving a car registered in Switzerland or abroad.
The best way to avoid breaking this — or any other — traffic rule, is to familiarise yourself with speed limits on Swiss roads.
The maximum allowed speed is determined by the roads and areas in which you travel.
On motorways it is 120 km per hour, reduced to 100 km/h on main roads (Autostrassen / semi-autoroutes / semiautostrade).
On roads in built-up areas located outside towns the speed is 80 km/h, and in the cities, 50 km/h.
Then there are some streets near schools, in residential areas or in villages, where the speed is reduced to 30 km/hour.
Speed limits can also be temporarily adjusted in the event of road repairs or construction work, so you should stay alert and follow the posted signs.
What are the penalties for speeding?
Again, it depends on where you are caught and how fast you were driving.
If you exceed the speed limit by up to 5 km/h, your fine will be 20 francs on the motorway and 40 francs if the infraction happened on main or secondary roads.
The fine for driving between 6 and 10 km/h over the legal limit is 60 francs on the motorway, 100 on the main roads, and 120 francs in built-up areas.
Driving 11 to 15 km/h over the maximum speed will cost you 120 francs on the motorway, 160 on the main road, and 250 in built-up areas.
Exceeding the limit by over 16 to 20 km/h gets you in more trouble: 180 francs on the motorway and 240 on the main road. But if you get caught dashing at this speed through a built-up area, you will be issued a heftier fine.
Now, you may think that speeding in a non-Swiss car will offer you immunity from having to pay a fine. But if you believe that, you are wrong.
This is why
If you got caught on a speed camera in Switzerland, but live in the European Union, expect your Swiss fine to arrive in the mail eventually.
That’s because Switzerland and the EU share details of drivers who are caught committing traffic infractions on their respective territories.
This data is shared via the European Car and Driving Licence Information System (Eucaris), which holds records of all vehicle owners in Europe.
When your fine arrives, resist the urge to just toss it into a bin and forget all about it: you will receive follow-up reminders and, in case of continued refusal, Swiss authorities could even launch legal proceedings against you and try to collect the original debt, plus the administrative fee and costs.
What if you live in the UK?
As the country is no longer in the EU, the fine-recovery process is a little different, but you are not quite off the hook.
In theory at least, the Swiss follow the same rules as their EU counterparts: they will send to local authorities a request for the payment of the violation, which will then be delivered to you by post.
READ ALSO: How visitors to Switzerland can avoid driving penalties
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It goes without saying (though it bears repeating), that no one should exceed a speed limit, whether driving a car registered in Switzerland or abroad.
The best way to avoid breaking this — or any other — traffic rule, is to familiarise yourself with speed limits on Swiss roads.
The maximum allowed speed is determined by the roads and areas in which you travel.
On motorways it is 120 km per hour, reduced to 100 km/h on main roads (Autostrassen / semi-autoroutes / semiautostrade).
On roads in built-up areas located outside towns the speed is 80 km/h, and in the cities, 50 km/h.
Then there are some streets near schools, in residential areas or in villages, where the speed is reduced to 30 km/hour.
Speed limits can also be temporarily adjusted in the event of road repairs or construction work, so you should stay alert and follow the posted signs.
What are the penalties for speeding?
Again, it depends on where you are caught and how fast you were driving.
If you exceed the speed limit by up to 5 km/h, your fine will be 20 francs on the motorway and 40 francs if the infraction happened on main or secondary roads.
The fine for driving between 6 and 10 km/h over the legal limit is 60 francs on the motorway, 100 on the main roads, and 120 francs in built-up areas.
Driving 11 to 15 km/h over the maximum speed will cost you 120 francs on the motorway, 160 on the main road, and 250 in built-up areas.
Exceeding the limit by over 16 to 20 km/h gets you in more trouble: 180 francs on the motorway and 240 on the main road. But if you get caught dashing at this speed through a built-up area, you will be issued a heftier fine.
Now, you may think that speeding in a non-Swiss car will offer you immunity from having to pay a fine. But if you believe that, you are wrong.
This is why
If you got caught on a speed camera in Switzerland, but live in the European Union, expect your Swiss fine to arrive in the mail eventually.
That’s because Switzerland and the EU share details of drivers who are caught committing traffic infractions on their respective territories.
This data is shared via the European Car and Driving Licence Information System (Eucaris), which holds records of all vehicle owners in Europe.
When your fine arrives, resist the urge to just toss it into a bin and forget all about it: you will receive follow-up reminders and, in case of continued refusal, Swiss authorities could even launch legal proceedings against you and try to collect the original debt, plus the administrative fee and costs.
What if you live in the UK?
As the country is no longer in the EU, the fine-recovery process is a little different, but you are not quite off the hook.
In theory at least, the Swiss follow the same rules as their EU counterparts: they will send to local authorities a request for the payment of the violation, which will then be delivered to you by post.
READ ALSO: How visitors to Switzerland can avoid driving penalties
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