If You Thought Your Last Traffic Ticket Was Bad…

Imagine one that cost $200,000. That is exactly what a man in Finland received after being caught going 50 mph in a 25 mph zone. While this world record speeding fine is certainly not the norm in Europe, it is possible in places such as Finland and Denmark, where the amount of the ticket is based on annual income. Here are a few other places where speeding tickets might sting a little (or a lot).

• Canada – Although most tickets will not levy a fine of over $1,000, the maximum penalty is $25,000. Last year, a man paid $12,000 for driving his motorcycle 164 mph.
• United Kingdom – Depending on how fast you are driving, you can be fined up to $8,000.
• Norway & Iceland – Like Denmark and Finland, Norway’s fines are based on annual income. The cost of a speeding ticket is 10% of the driver’s annual income, plus jail time if your offense is deemed excessive. Iceland imposes a maximum fine of $2,700 to encourage safe driving on their dangerous roads.
• France, Switzerland, & Italy – Excessive speeding may result in jail time and fines up to $2,100
• Portugal – Reckless drivers can face fines up to $1,800 – and must pay them on the spot. Whether you are caught speeding, talking on the phone while driving, or not buckling your seatbelt, you may not drive until the fine is paid. Many police cars are even equipped with ATMs to make this enforceable.
• United States – Each state imposes its own speeding fines. The most expensive states to be caught speeding include Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, Nevada, and New Hampshire, with a maximum penalty of $1,000. However, until last year when the law was repealed, Virginia took the cake by allowing fines up to $2,500 for drivers caught going just 10 mph over the limit.