While many drivers that buy expensive high-performance sports cars never actually push those vehicles remotely close to their top speed, some drivers do. They drive them to the maximum capabilities, and not just on a racetrack but on public roadways as well. Some drivers just feel the need for speed. In the case of one speeding driver, it came at an immense cost: a $1 million fine, which is the world’s most expensive speeding ticket. 

What is the most expensive speeding ticket fine in the world?

The world record for the most expensive speeding ticket fine ever goes to a Swedish driver in Switzerland in 2010. The unnamed man drove his Mercedes SLS AMG sports car at a speed of 180 mph (290 kph). 

The reason why the speeding ticket was so expensive is that, unlike in the United States, the amount of a speeding ticket fine in Switzerland is determined by a combination of a driver’s income and the speed recorded. Many other countries in Europe follow a similar system for speeding ticket fines. The driver’s excuse for the very high speed was that “the speedometer must have been on the blink.” Of course, the police did not buy this excuse.

When asked to comment about the speeding incident, local police spokesman Benoit Dumas said that “nothing can justify a speed of 290 kph.” He followed that by saying, “It is not controllable. It must have taken 500 meters to stop.” Along with the $1 speeding ticket fine, authorities in Switzerland impounded the Mercedes SLS AMG.

Australian insurance company Budget Direct recently did an assessment of speeding ticket fines around the world. At the top of the range is the aforementioned $1 million in Switzerland. The rest of the world’s most expensive speeding ticket fines were in Europe. This includes two other speeding tickets in Switzerland ($327,000 and $320,000), as well as Belgium ($226,560) and Finland ($217,000, $141,661, $141,600, and $130,00). For Australia, the most expensive ticket fine was $1,742.

What’s the cheapest speeding ticket fine in the world?

The title of the world’s cheapest speeding ticket fine goes to Sudan, with a speeder-friendly cost of only 7 cents. Other countries with low speeding ticket fines include Syria ($0.08), Paraguay ($0.13), Angola ($0.47), Zimbabwe ($1.93), and Cuba ($2.50).

What are the most and least expensive speeding ticket fines in the United States?

Speeding ticket fines in the U.S. are small compared to Switzerland and other countries in Europe. The penalties also vary from state to state. However, the United States has the most expensive speeding ticket fine in North America. This is in Oregon, which levies a $2,000 speeding ticket fine for drivers that go 100 mph or faster. The title of the cheapest speeding ticket in the U.S. goes to North Dakota, with fines as low as $5. 

Many people may view the costly speeding ticket fines in Switzerland and other countries in Europe as excessive. However, the income-based speeding ticket fine system might be worth a closer look, especially if it improves road safety and reduces car accidents, traffic injuries, and deaths.