An Audi A6 owner in New York has racked up over 500 speed camera tickets in just 12 months. He still keeps his driver's license.
A black 2023 Audi A6 is currently the subject of heated debate in New York City after its owner received 563 speeding tickets in just one year.
Despite the many traffic violations, the owner still has his driving license.
The car with registration number LCM8254 is often caught in speed cameras. A total of 73 of the stalls originate from the same intersection in the city.
The total fine amounts to $58,149. This corresponds to about 401,000 Danish kroner. The amount does not seem to have stopped the driver.
Another driver in a Mercedes C300 has an almost equally numb attitude towards traffic laws. The owner has received 474 speeding tickets in one year.
Most of the Mercedes booths were issued between Broadway and 68th Street in Manhattan, according to a report from NYC Streetsblog.
Repeated speeding violations in New York
The many speeding tickets have left residents and politicians alike wondering how drivers can continue to drive around New York, which is known for its zero-tolerance policy towards traffic violations.
The explanation lies in the system behind the stalls. They are issued by the city government, not by the police directly. Therefore, many drivers ignore them.
Drivers can continue driving without losing their license. And it can continue like this until the state decides to intervene.
Ben Furnas, director of the New York City Transportation Authority, points out that it is only a very small group of drivers who are flouting traffic laws.
– These results point to a small group. The group has a shocking pattern of repetition, resistance to traditional deterrence. Like they don't care about human life.
The debate has flared up further after a mother and her two daughters were hit and killed in traffic.
Requires all cars to be speed limited
They were hit by a driver who ran a red light. The driver was known for previous traffic violations and repeated violations.
The accident has sparked strong reactions and calls for tougher penalties in New York. Many citizens and organizations want action against habitual offenders behind the wheel.
A concrete proposal is now on the table at the city council. Specifically, it is proposed to install speed limiters in cars belonging to drivers who have repeatedly violated traffic laws.
The proposal calls for the restriction to be installed in cars owned by people who have received more than six speeding tickets within a 12-month period. The technology is intended to physically prevent them from driving too fast.
However, it is still uncertain whether the bill will be passed. The process may take time and there may be political resistance.
In Denmark we are also seeing an increase in the number of speed cameras along the roads. The monitoring of drivers is increasing in general. And although the police will not tell you about the cameras, they have been mapped. Read more about it here .
