– It is not the police’s fault that I drove too fast. I’m the one who has to control the speed. I have no pleasure in this fine, but if you have committed an offence, you just have to take it. This is how it is. That’s what Kjell Henning Eriksen says about the fine he received for 3,100 kroner after driving at 90 km/h in an 80-zone. Kjell Henning Eriksen received a fine that was higher than he had initially expected. Photo: Erik Waage / news He admits that the fine was larger than expected. But now the price for breaking the traffic rules can be even higher. On 8 November, the Ministry of Transport submitted a proposal to amend simplified orders in road traffic cases, with the aim of increasing the fine rates for traffic offenses by 30 per cent. The background for the proposal to raise the fine rates Traffic offenses and accidents as a result of such have major socio-economic consequences and costs. The personal sufferings come in addition. Based on calculations of costs for different degrees of damage, personal injury accidents are estimated to have cost society approx. NOK 13.2 billion in 2020. The socio-economic cost of loss of human life is estimated at approx. 30 million per person killed, while the cost for very serious injury and severe injury was respectively about NOK 23 and 10 million. High speed is the single factor that contributes to the most traffic accidents. The Institute of Transport Economics has calculated that reduced speed levels on the road network from 2004 to 2019 resulted in 117 fewer deaths and serious injuries in the single year 2019, compared to if the speed level had remained unchanged at the 2004 level. Source: Consultation note/Ministry of Transport Morten Oseland, police superintendent and group leader for UP Sør-Rogaland, says that the simplified submissions are usually well received. Police officer prints out simplified notice at E39 on Rennesøy. Photo: Erik Waage / news – It works very well to print the simplified submissions. They are usually aware that they have driven too fast, and then that is the reaction we can give them, he says. He points out that the most important thing for UP is traffic safety. – It’s something we work on every single day when we’re out on the roads. To slow down, we have to get people to obey the speed limits, we have to get people to drive without drugs and to devote their full attention to the traffic picture. Oseland says that at times they find that people are unable to do so. – At certain controls, we see that there are too many speeding violations. We usually stand on those stretches to make motorists understand that we are standing here for a reason, to slow down. Frick Holm conducts speed measurements for UP at the E39 on Rennesøy. Photo: Erik Waage / news – It won’t take many seconds until Oseland does not want to comment on an increase in the fine rates before the hearing that is out is finished. – Is it important for UP how much the fine is? – No, UP is exclusively on the road for traffic safety. Eriksen, who has just been fined when news meets him in traffic, believes that one reason why people drive too fast is that they forget to get out. – It doesn’t take many seconds until you are up to 90 kilometers from 80 kilometers. He hopes not to have to experience for himself that the fine rates may increase, but emphasizes that if you have driven too incorrectly, you must face the consequences.
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Fine rates in traffic can now increase by 30 percent – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
