Austria expands vehicle seizure rules for extreme speeding

From 1 March 2024 Austria introduced a three‑step system that allows police to confiscate a vehicle when the driver exceeds speed limits by large margins. For speeds over 60 km/h above the limit in built‑up areas (or over 70 km/h outside) the car can be taken on‑spot for up to 14 days. Exceeding 80 km/h (urban) or 90 km/h (rural) can lead to permanent loss of the vehicle and its sale at auction. Fines may reach €7 500 and licence suspensions apply for lower excesses. The measures affect any driver, including foreigners; an example cited is a 26‑year‑old Czech driver whose car was seized after traveling at 104 km/h in a 30 km/h zone. The law targets the vehicle itself as well as the driver, and a 2026 Austrian constitutional court ruling upheld the constitutionality of such seizures. The policy aims to deter extreme speeding, which Austrian authorities consider a serious danger to public safety.