1. Empty tank
If you stop on the highway with an empty tank or battery, you will be fined a hefty fine. Because, according to the decision of the Federal Supreme Court, the operation of a vehicle with insufficient fuel is not considered safe. If the car still gets into the breakdown lane or an exhibition niche, you’ll get away with a 120-franc fine. However, if there are no emergency lanes – for example, in a tunnel or on a construction site – and the car remains on the road, you will be fined and fined up to several hundred francs. For example, in 2020 a driver in Aargau had to pay CHF 1,500 for stopping in the fast lane with an empty tank and then driving two kilometers from the vehicle to look for gas.
2. WhatsApp
A quick look at the smartphone as the latest Whatsapp message has been stolen – not tragic, is it? But! Anyone who subsequently opens the cell phone is not only dangerously distracted, but is quickly fined several hundred francs. Because unlike making a phone call to the ear (100 Fr.) with a mobile phone, touching the smartphone is prohibited. Depending on the canton and the situation, you should expect fines of 300 to 400 francs or more, and fees can quickly go up to 500 to 700 francs at best. But it can be over 1000 francs! In addition, there is usually a driver’s license withdrawal for one to three months.
3. Croissant at the wheel
Eating while driving is as expensive as using a smartphone. In 2012 it cost a woman 250 francs to bite a bagel in the canton of Zurich. And this is not an isolated case: bagels or summit feasts are seen as “injuring attention by doing activities”, where the fine can quickly go up to several hundred francs, depending on cantonal regulations. Biting a sandwich with both hands during a meal or driving a wavy line can even cost you 1,500 francs and your driver’s license.
4. Smoke and drive
If you breathe in green, you can immediately see red when traffic stops: Unlike when you’re drunk and driving, there’s actually zero tolerance for marijuana. What it means: If you have a beer after work and drive afterwards, you’re not (usually) threatened. Anyone who smokes cannabis in the evening and is checked out the next day will have to pay a fine for the most illegal consumption – and that’s if the amount found in the blood is below (barely detectable) 1.5 nanograms of THC per milliliter of blood. . If it exceeds that, the ticket will be inactive for at least three months – and the costs can be dire: these are usually around 1000 francs plus a contingent fine (daily fees), the fees you usually pay 2000 to 3000 francs. In addition, there are fines for consumption (fees are usually several hundred francs), driving ability check (1000-3000 francs) and regular urine tests from six months to two years.
5. Line parking
Blue zone, white areas, yellow lines – parking rules and regulations in Switzerland are complex (click here for guide: Correct parking). Whether white or blue: the whole car has to stop on the field, neither the bumper nor the exterior mirrors are allowed to go beyond it. If the tires are on the line and not inside, a fine will be strictly enforced – this counts as parking outside the parking space. But what can it cost if the wheels are just a hand wide outside? 1250 francs! This is what happens to a Zurich resident – despite a resident parking card: After more than ten hours, illegal parking no longer only costs 40, 60 or 100 francs, depending on duration, but is also reported. Three days later I paid a crazy fine of 700 francs plus 550 francs.
6. Leaving too little distance
The rule of thumb is that the distance to the vehicle in front should be two seconds. However, in heavy morning traffic on the Autobahn this is unlikely (see video): If you leave enough distance, you are guaranteed to cross into the right gap. It’s deadly, because a very small distance can cost thousands of francs and a driver’s license. Despite guidelines that vary from canton to canton, the following generally applies: “Half speedometer in metres” or more than 1.8 seconds is legal, for example at about 60 meters at 120 km/h. With a gap of less than 1.8 seconds, you usually end up with a few hundred francs plus fees. However, it is satisfying in under 0.6 seconds. For example, in the cantons of Zurich and Graubünden: ten-day rate at 11 to 15 percent of the speed in meters (13 to 18 m at 120 km/h). With a net monthly salary of 5,000 francs, the daily rate is 120 francs. That’s a fine of 1200 francs plus court costs.
7. Drive with peephole in winter
As the days get shorter and the temperatures drop, it gets boring again for the “lantern parkers” (click here for the guide: When winter catches us freezing cold). Because: Not only the windshield and front side windows, but also the glass surfaces of the exterior mirrors must be completely free of snow and ice. If you don’t draw or just don’t draw enough – keyword peephole – it can get really expensive for you. Depending on the situation, the referral usually costs 600 francs or more – and there is a risk of identity being withdrawn and jail time in the event of an accident.