Federal Mobility Minister Georges Gilkinet wants better correlation between the severity of speeding violations and the penalties imposed; to this end, he has submitted a proposal to the ministers of Justice and Home Affairs that would set higher fines for more serious overspeeding, Belga News Agency reports.
“If we really want to change things, we need to send a clear signal to drivers - especially the male ones - who feel authorised to endanger the lives of others by driving at inappropriate speeds, way above the limits set by the traffic code,” Minister Gilkinet is quoted as saying by Sudinfo. “This measure targets overspeeding in excess of 21 km/hour, which is 12% of all fines for excessive speeding. It’s a minority of drivers, but theirs is the most dangerous behaviour.”
Current fines are calculated at 56 euros for the first 10 km/hr. above the speed limit, then 11 euros per additional km/hr. within urban areas, and six euros per additional km/hr. outside city limits. The mobility minister feels that this does not reflect the “exponential” risk excessive speeding creates. He advocates “much higher penalties,” which would in turn be “exponential,” but has not stated how high he would like them to be.
Figures published this week by the VIAS road safety agency show that 111 persons lost their lives in traffic accidents in the first quarter of this year, as many as before the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to Minister Gilkinet, road safety needs to move up the public-policy priority list.
