Court: SUV means bigger traffic ticket
SUVs tend to cost more than sedans. But does the relation hold for traffic-law violations?
Perhaps in Germany.
A court in Frankfurt, according to Autoblog, has ruled that a driver who ran a red light should pay more than the usual fine because he was driving a sport utility vehicle. The verdict dated June 3 could set a precedent.
In its ruling, published late last month, the court ordered the driver to pay €350 ($365) — almost twice the regular fine of about $200 — for running a red light. It also imposed a one-month driving ban.
The court argued that the shape of the SUV, with its high, boxlike hood, meant the driving infraction posed a greater risk to pedestrians than if the defendant had driven a smaller car.
The verdict, which also took into account the defendant’s previous driving convictions, can be appealed.