Europe-wide law on traffic offences

20 March 2008

Proposal to introduce EU-wide regulations
Driver details would be shared among countries
Drivers in foreign countries 'take more risks'

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Drivers from the European Union who flout traffic laws in other member states will no longer be able to escape punishment if current plans come to fruition.

At present, although there are individual agreements between some member states for passing on information on drivers who commit offences, there is no EU-wide law, meaning that drivers who breach driving regulations outside their own country often escape punishment.

Under new proposals, offences such as speeding or evading parking fines would result in offenders being tracked down and penalised, as all EU nations would share driver data.

The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) said: 'Non-resident drivers are more likely to take risks and break the law due to their feeling of impunity.

'Non-resident drivers represent around 5% of road traffic in the EU, whereas [their] share of speeding offences is around 15%.'