A publication shared 3.7 million times on Facebook in two days claims that Finnish motorists have been fined nearly 100,000 euros.
In Finland, fines for certain offences, including exceeding the speed limit by more than 20 km/h, are calculated on the basis of the offender's income.
A Finnish millionaire was sentenced to pay 170,000 euros in 2004 for driving at 80 km/h on a section limited to 40 km/h.
A measure to slow down even the richest.
According to a post shared almost four million times on Facebook in two days, in Finland, the amount of fines for speeding would be calculated according to the income of the offender.
Result, some Finnish millionaires would have been punctured nearly 100,000 euros for exceeding the authorized limit.
Stratospheric amounts that make some Internet users doubt the veracity of the information: “If it were true, Finland would be the richest country in the world.
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If the Nordic country points “only” to the 46th position in the world in terms of GDP, the information is nevertheless… true.
20 Minutes
explains why.
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If Kimi Raïkkönen is a star in his country, the authorities do not joke with road safety lightly.
Also, to prevent drivers from feeling like they are growing wings on the asphalt, even the richest, fines for breaking speed limits are calculated according to the offender's income.
Well not all of them.
For speeding less than 20 km/h, a fixed scale is established.
From 70 to 200 euros depending on the overrun and the area in which it was carried out.
The day-fine applied from 20 km/h overrun
From 20 km/h of overrun, it is the day-fine which is applied.
The amount is based on the driver's net monthly income (earnings and capital income minus taxes, compulsory insurance and unemployment insurance).
From this amount are then subtracted 255 euros, an amount assessed by the State as necessary for basic consumption for each citizen.
The monthly net income is then divided by 30 to obtain a daily amount.
This amount is itself divided by two to obtain what the Finnish State considers to be a reasonable sum to be levied in the event of a sanction.
Each minor dependent child for the driver reduces the daily fine by 3 euros.
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On this basis, and depending on the offense that has been committed (depending on the speed limit and the extent of the overrun), a number of day-fines is determined to obtain the amount of the fine to be paid.
For example, a driver, earning 2,000 euros net per month (without dependent children), caught 25 km/h over the limit could be sanctioned with 12 day-fines, or 400 euros.
No maximum fine limit
Contacted by
20 Minutes
, the Finnish Embassy in France specifies that a minimum amount of 200 euros is applied for overruns of more than 20 km / h.
On the other hand, there is no maximum ceiling on the amount of the day-fine, but a limit is set at a maximum of 120 day-fines.
Thus for people earning significant income, the note can go up very high.
Thus in 2004, the Finnish millionaire, Jussi Salonoja, was fined 170,000 euros for being flashed at 80 km/h in a zone limited to 40 km/h.
In 2002, a Nokia executive was ordered to pay 100,000 euros for a speeding violation of 22 km/h.
And there is no question of underestimating your income to lower the amount of the bill: the police software is directly linked to the tax centers, and therefore to the income declared by taxpayers.
Finland is not alone
Other countries apply fines according to the income of the offenders according to different scales and offenses such as the United Kingdom, Switzerland or Norway.
According to the European Commission in 2020, Finland ranked fifteenth among the countries with the highest road fatality rates in the EU with 40 deaths per million inhabitants.
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Saving time, clarity or safety, but why go back to 90 km/h?
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