Changes to the Road Traffic Act: You need to know these four new rules now

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Parliament adopted the revision of the Road Traffic Act during the spring session. The changes will take effect on a staggered basis. The first package includes, among others, the following topics:

The minimum penalty for speeding offenses can now be less than a year in prison if a motorist acted “from respectable motives” or if he or she still has no criminal record. Accordingly, the minimum basic period for driving license suspension may be reduced from two years to twelve months. The National Council and the Council of States initially wanted to abolish the minimum sentence. However, a referendum threat from the Roadcross Foundation convinced Parliament to make a U-turn.

Authorities must now reduce the penalty if drivers of police, fire brigade or medical vehicles violate traffic rules during operations and their actions are subsequently judged to be disproportionate. In such cases, police officers, paramedics and firefighters will now only be penalized for the difference between the speed and the speed that would have been appropriate for the operation. Until now, the maximum speed was used as a comparison value.

The so-called owner’s liability now also applies to legal entities: if it cannot be determined who was driving a certain company car at a certain time, the company that owns the vehicle can be fined. The same principle was previously applied to natural persons, for example in cases where someone borrows his car.

For minor violations of traffic rules, the probation period will not be extended and the ID will not be withdrawn. The probation period is only extended by one year if someone has to surrender their ID due to a serious or moderate violation. Dissolution occurs if someone commits a moderate or serious crime again during the probation period. (SDA)

Source:Blick