The Danish Parliament has passed legislation that could theoretically allow police departments to sell trucks involved in cases of reckless driving.
According to transportmagasinet.dk, the new law gives Danish police departments the right to confiscate a vehicle and sell it via an auction – regardless of whether the driver who drove the vehicle recklessly owns it or not. The rules apply to all roadworthy vehicles, whether it be cars, vans or trucks.
Among the acts considered as reckless driving are drink-driving and driving above 200 km per hour.
Commenting on the legislation, Danish Transport Minister Benny Engelbrecht said he expected the changes to affect vans far more than trucks:
I have a hard time imagining a truck driving at double speed on a motorway; but one can of course theoretically imagine individual cases where drivers are so drunk that they are over the 2 per mille limit. On the other hand, the risk is greater for vans that are not equipped with speed limiters. It is true that there may be a driver who drives completely insane in a van. It is the employer’s responsibility to make sure that your employees behave in a proper manner. If the employer has taken all conceivable precautions, it may well be that the car is seized but not necessarily confiscated. It is up to the courts.
The rules state that only the truck itself can be sold when its driver is guilty of reckless driving. Neither the cargo nor trailer may be confiscated or put up for auction.
Henrik Glintborg, police inspector at Central and West Jutland Police and head of the traffic department, says the stiff rules are intended to crack down on reckless drivers:
We will not find ourselves in some people not following the rules. It is associated with great danger when you expose yourself and others to insane driving, and with the new rules we get the opportunity to crack down hard on those who can not figure out how to drive properly.
The new legislation naturally has consequences for drivers too. Sentences for negligent manslaughter, negligent bodily harm and for intentionally endangering someone by driving recklessly have all been made tougher. Reckless drivers also face losing their licences for 3 years.
Photo credit: User:Heb on Wikimedia Commons (link)