Sanctioning Speeding in Hungary in a European Comparison

Fine Thresholds, Enforcement Intensity and Deterrence

Abstract

Introduction: Speed enforcement constitutes a fundamental component of traffic law enforcement and road safety improvement. The effectiveness of detection, combined with the severity of sanctions, can contribute to ensuring compliance with statutory speed limits among drivers.

Objective: The primary objective of this study is to examine the Hungarian system of sanctions for speeding violations from a European comparative perspective, with particular emphasis on the threshold for the imposition of administrative fines, the structure of sanctions, and the intensity of enforcement.

Methodology: The study integrates comparative legal analysis, official European and Hungarian statistical sources, and international and Hungarian scholarly literature on the deterrent effect of speed enforcement.

Results: The findings indicate that a substantial proportion of European systems impose sanctions even for relatively minor speeding violations, whereas under the Hungarian system of strict liability, the threshold for the imposition of an administrative fine is linked to exceeding the prescribed speed limit by more than 15 km/h or 20 km/h, depending on the applicable speed limit. The comparison also indicates that the intensity of speed enforcement in Hungary is lower than in several Western European countries. According to the relevant literature, the perceived probability of detection and the certainty of sanctions generally constitute stronger behavioural determinants than an increase in the amount of the fine alone.

Conclusion: Accordingly, in reviewing the Hungarian system, the study considers it justified to complement a reduction in the threshold for imposing administrative fines with measures aimed at increasing the probability of detection, expanding automated and average-speed enforcement, and strengthening consistent enforcement of the law.