On Monday evening, Uri cantonal police inspected a Dutch lorry driver. An analysis of tachograph data revealed numerous and repeated violations of daily and weekly driving and rest time limits.
Serious consequences
The case has been passed to the Uri Public Prosecutor’s Office. The driver faces a fine potentially amounting to several thousand Swiss francs. In addition, a driving ban in Switzerland may be imposed. After completing the required rest period, the driver was allowed to continue the journey, but further consequences will be determined by administrative and judicial authorities.
Penalties for violations in Switzerland – what are the risks for drivers?
Three-tier sanction system
Switzerland operates a clearly defined classification system for traffic violations:
- Minor offence (leicht) – e.g. slight speeding or a minor breach of rest time regulations. In such cases, drivers typically receive a warning. However, if a similar offence is repeated within two years, they may face a driving ban of at least one month.
- Moderate offence (mittel) – e.g. significant exceeding of working hours, driving without a valid licence, or a minor offence combined with alcohol. This results in at least a one-month driving ban, even without prior offences.
- Serious offence (schwer) – e.g. driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, refusing to undergo testing, driving after an accident or while already banned. In these cases, the penalty is a three-month driving ban. A repeat offence within two years may result in an indefinite driving ban in Switzerland.
Cascading system – escalating penalties for repeat offences
Switzerland applies a cascading system, where penalties increase automatically for repeat offences:
- 4 months – second moderate or serious offence within two years
- 9 months – two driving bans within two years
- 15 months – two previous bans for serious offences
- Indefinite (minimum 2 years) – three bans within the past ten years
Does a Swiss driving ban apply abroad?
A driving ban issued by the Swiss authorities applies only in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It has no legal effect in Germany, Poland or other EU countries. However, serious violations may be recorded in international registers, potentially damaging the reputations of both the driver and their transport company.
