If you get a speeding ticket in Iceland, you have a few options when it comes to paying. So be safe by going the speed limit to prevent an accident, injury, or even death. Of course Iceland does not have autobahn or ultra modern freeways. The second one is when a parking offence has been comitted. They want(ed) me to pay 50650 ISK. If you see an emergency vehicle approaching from behind, indicate to the side of the road if possible and allow them to pass. In this post, we collected all the information and costs of violating the law. I cant believe they tracked him down! People die on the road because of speeding. Some rental car companies charge a handling fee for this. If you intend to drive in Iceland, its important you know the, However, driving in Iceland requires some more precautions compared to driving in other countries. If you get pulled over by the police (like me), you have three options. Fines for off-road driving are significant, a group of four French tourists was given an ISK 400,000 fine for off-road driving. Just to clarify I was not speeding. Girl I know the feeling!! However, driving in Iceland requires some more precautions compared to driving in other countries. Option 1: Pay the fine. One woman lost $3,000 to a scammer who used the names of real police officers to rip her . Driving in a foreign country can be exciting, stressful and educational. Koreas new innovation strategy: Digital Platform Government, Here's why the world must collaborate on tech governance, Why fighting corruption is key to addressing the world's most pressing problems, This is why its crucial to track and preserve Ukraines cultural heritage, is affecting economies, industries and global issues, with our crowdsourced digital platform to deliver impact at scale. However, some tourist says they pay more in speeding fines in countries like Finland, Norway, Denmark, and Sweden. It actually ruined my entire day but its all okay now (8 months later haha). Extreme DUI (BAC 0.15% or higher) First Offense: No less than $2,500. That is the question. Whether its because of the weather, gravel flying up off the road, or animals in your path; choose the right speed for the condition and take your time. All of these rules are in place for the safety of citizens and tourists. Wait to receive your ticket in the post and pay the fine with no discount. They said I had to pay. I got in touch with the dutch police via their facebook page and decided to pay it before late fees started to accrue. Should people pay the speeding ticket fine no matter the cost? The second officer explained the 90 km/h speed limit and showed the van clocked me driving 113 km/h (70 mph). Thank you in advance According topolice in Iceland, they manage to collect only 45% of those speeding tickets. One-lane bridges are indicated with a bright orange sign and a label of a car with a narrow bridge. According to online statistics, road accidents by foreigners with rental cars is about 157 fatalities from 2007-2017. If the clock is missing or the parking exceeds the allowed time, one can expect a parking fee. Many get high fines, long after they have left the country, collected with the aid of the authorities in their country. So do not assume that the countryside is not well covered with speed cameras. Which is $460. If you are unsure then you should always stick to a slower speed. These fines make Iceland's at about $800 actually look cheap. Fines are automatically processed and delivered to the owner of the offending vehicle. This has led to headline-grabbing . The more a driver is over the speed limit, the greater the number of fines they receive. Im cu, I Istanbul Im Angie, an American photographer, travel blogger, and adventure seeker. Wow this is really informative ! I know of an speeding violation that resulted in a $900 USD ticket that arrived 6 months after the fact. Here is a short list of of speeding fines in Iceland and how they increase with the offence: 20% will be added to this if: 1. Luckily, there are plenty of traffic signs around to remind you at which speed you should be driving. However, most of the speeding cameras are located in the south part of Iceland which has fewer police patrols. Fine $300-390. Plus, there are signs that alert you when theres an upcoming speed camera (see photo). Then because people lose control when roads changes suddenly from tarmac to gravel. I also thought it was kind of them to warn me about the speed camera because I actually had no idea Iceland had any! Just remember that speed limits are there for your protection. Promise! ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-8636517', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Iceland, it's possibly one of the more beautiful places on the planet. There seems to be no evidence that unpaid speeding tickets are visible to immigration officials in any country. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-8240339', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Iceland. In Iceland, you drive on the right side of the road and overtake on the left. All Iceland campgrounds will be open and operate during Summer all over the country, including the remote highland area. How are speed limits controlled in Iceland? The fees changed the last months. On may 1st 2018 the regulation of traffic enforcement, including traffic fines, will be updated. Police have trouble read Cyrillic and non-Latin alphabets There are new traffic signs to learn, different driving styles, avarietyof different road types and situations, speed limits and different laws. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-8639308', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Iceland does a good job of maintaining its roads. The biggest concern for those who receive tickets and dont want to pay is if they return to Iceland in the future, would they be turned away, arrested, or stopped at customs and forced to pay a steep fine? Am I to expect a trillion Krona fine in the not too distant future? Answer 1 of 38: Hello, I am just curious as to what the speeding penalties are for a British tourist in Iceland? Afterward, they gave me a copy of the ticket and receipt, wished me well, and warned me about the many speed cameras along the way towards Reykjavik. Subsequent cars should cross the bridge in a similar order as they arrived. Your car is captured by a speeding camera - In this case, the Icelandic police will trace the speeding car to the car rental company and subsequently send a mail requesting information on the offending car. In fact, you might be tempted to toss a parking ticket into your glove compartment and forget about it but if you give in to such temptation, you might face some consequences for giving in to such thought. Photo from the Reykjavk Police Instagram Account. Theres also an insufficient number ofofficers. I just got done for a 115kph in what happened to be a 90kph zone. Copy of the complaint. Don't forget, Iceland is an island and if you ever want to leave, pay your fine and the next time obey the law. So always keep your eyes open for a speed change. USD 12.30) whereas larger transport vehicles and trucks are subject to an ISK 6,000 toll fee. I would definitely pay the fine! Some tourists get especially confused about roundabouts in Iceland. Ripped off? I hope everyone is keeping safe with the current happenings in our world. As of 2019, drivers passing through Valaheiargng tunnel in North Iceland will need to pay a toll of between ISK 700 to 6,000 depending on the vehicle. Do you want to know more about this subject? Gurn Hauksdttir, a police officer in Western Iceland, said that one reason is that travelers frequently write their addresses in hand in their own alphabet. It being a foreign country we had no idea what to do. They have a brochurethat shows the maximum speed limits printed on the pages. Samuel Hogarth
If they dont have any visible proof of your speeding (short video segment or two photos taken in rapid succession), ask for it. Re: Iceland Speeding Ticket fines 4 years ago Save Relative to the subject: On may 1st 2018 the regulation of traffic enforcement, including traffic fines, will be updated. Icelandic roads are constructed differently to European and American ones - in rural areas they are surfaced with gravel so if you go around a bend too quickly you will have a serious accident. They can be found all along the ring road and they often wander, carelessly, onto the road, right in front of oncoming traffic. When you approach a roundabout, make sure you already know which exit you will be taking. Hi there! A lot of car rental companies also charge a handling fee if you get a speeding ticket. Would have never expected a full blown article on speeding ticket but this sure is helpful. Just like there are speed cameras, there are also mobile cameras in cars. I too was brought to the back seat of the police car and asked to pay ISK115000..!! Let the holiday travels commence! Got a speeding ticket in Iceland? Parking in Reykjavik is the same as parking in any other European capital. and according to driving laws and posted signs along your route. In some cases, you may need to appear in court. The location of speed cameras in Iceland vary, as they may often be mounted in a parked patrol vehicle on the side of the road. Paid a 500$ish tickets by a police cruiser that picked me up on radar. As in every country, Iceland also has speed limits to keep and there are police all around Iceland measuring the speed and not to be forgotten, the speed cameras. Others seemed more understanding and admitted that Icelanders know where these fast-moving cameras are and slow down when they see them. But overall, most Icelanders agreed that it was only fair those who received these speeding tickets pay the fine. Don't worry, we won't spam you. They can also go to the website of Blastasjur and see pictures of the car. I did not pay, and will never go back. I can so relate to it. Funny, I asked well why dont you just give me a ticket now and tell me how to pay online? I didn't get stopped by a policeman, I was waved at to slow down at one point, but he never pulled me over. Your main question might be "do I need to pay the fine?". You will be heavily fined for spending a night at private parking lots or other areas outside of the campsites. Airport and border. They also got my address from the driver license. Even then the times (and the fee) indicate you were going quite a lot over the limit (+125 km/h). And dont forget, the (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Is it an automatic ticket? Motorist who are stopped without a license plate on the front of the car are stopped and made to move the back plate to the front. Please send us a line at icelandmag@365.is. If they cant providethat proof, you shouldnt have to pay. Below you will find a rough guide to speed limits in Iceland. He never paid it and they tracked him down a year later. How would you spend your time in a self-driving car. The police will send the speeding ticket to the registered driver. Enroll immediately online or by calling toll free 1-888-334-5565: Defensive Driving Schools Information for Arizona (Online Registration) Complete the class at least seven business days prior to the court date written above your signature on the complaint. Blikavellir, KEF International Airport (Iceland). As an aside, a guide at the Tourist information in Hofn suggested i take the OXI road to Egilstaddir to shave 60km off my trip. Many of our foreign tourists, very unfortunately, completely ignore tickets. It has proven particularly difficult to collect fines from Russian and Chinese motorists. The most common rental car in Iceland is Toyota yaris and Suzuki jimmy, both small vehicles with short wheelbase, and provide very little protection in an accident. This article will prove helpful if you want to avoid getting speeding tickets on your visit to Iceland. more. The largest selection of Car Rentals in Iceland. Speeding is a common offence that people visiting Iceland get fined for, and the fines are costly. The rental company may get hit with the charge and will be able to pass it onto you and potentially even charge your credit card. Do you take any authorization on my credit card? Hopefully, it wasnt too difficult to figure out. In fact, this is the reason they give you a 25% discount to encourage you to pay the fine. World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use. On the lookout Police in Iceland have trouble tracking down and fining foreign speeders. Some signs are digital and will measure your speed as you pass by. What are my options and does this sound right? There are varying opinions based on the speed fines in Iceland. Uk credits cards not working in Iceland ? You MUST bring the following to the class: Driver's license. The answer to these speeding fines is only one!, Dont speed! I would like to think positively about it that perhaps this lesson actually helped saved my life by stopping me speeding . A car pulling any type of trailer is driving over the legal limits. Luckily the fee wasnt too steep even with the late charges, but it would have been better if he paid on the spot! Some are known to just tear up the citation as soon as the officer is out of sight. Join our weekly hand curated newsletter to have all the latest news from Iceland sent to you. 3. We appeal to peoples good conscience when other means at our disposal fail. Although somecar hiring services could be blamed for not doing enough to spreading the word - That said, many car rental companies in Reykjavik go out of their way to make speed limits and road limitations known to their clients. For parking tickets left on the windshield, you can simply walk into any bank, wait your turn, and pay your ticket. NOTE: In addition to paying these fines, expect to face jail time, community service, alcohol programs, ignition interlock systems, and/or license suspension or revocation. Parking and camping outside of designated camping zones in Iceland are illegal. The police officer came up to my window and asked me to get out of the car. Oh and thank you for this blog. The approach to pursuing fines incurred by foreigners varies by country. This new breed of crosswalk appears to be floating up and off the road, which. Police in Iceland manages to collect only 45% of speeding tickets given to foreign travelers. Im going to Iceland in November 2019, so will be extremely careful driving there. That fee is 2500ISK (20USD). I lived in Iceland for a while and got one for $500 :/ made sure to not speed again after that one!! Fines for everything will be raised a lot. Its really up to you, but if you do, Im not even sure your credit card will take your side. For many years Hvalfjrur Tunnel was subject to a fee, however, as of 2018, this tunnel is now toll-free. It is then important that people understand the risks they take when they drive there. There is a VERY strong financial disincentive to pay this ticket. Im sure they committed fraud as they charged him well above the speed table provided on the internet . On the lookout Police in Iceland have trouble tracking down and fining foreign speeders. These are not the only offenses under this violation for more information on offenses under parking violation charges you can refer to Article 108, Traffic laws no. Totally freaked me out, girl! Should I dispute it when the credit card bill comes. That fine is 10.000ISK (77USD) but goes down to 8900ISK (68USD) if paid imediately. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-8225084', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Iceland! Re: Iceland Speeding Ticket fines 4 years ago Save Relative to the subject: On may 1st 2018 the regulation of traffic enforcement, including traffic fines, will be updated. a fine for speaking on mobile while driving is raised from 25.000 to 40.000 ISK (from about 250 USD to 400 USD). (80-90km zones). Overall, not a terrible experience. The biggest challenge with tunnels is quickly adapting to the darkness when entering the tunnel and with the brightness when leaving. You shouldnt have to pay your fine if they do not have any substantial, visible proof. This was back in august, Today (December 7th). If you get pulled over by the police, you have two options: Pay the fine upfront and receive a 25% discount off the fine. Scandinavian Travel Services ehf. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-95594839', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Iceland a rip off for speeding fines! book flight now or wait until Efling Strike is over? Went to iceland back in august, got pulled over at 2:59am for speeding. 50-60km/h zones. Fines for speeding are quite different from other offenses. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-8641007', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');car rentals have the credit card informations of those who were in a rental. $720 AUD are you kidding me?! (BTW - I understand that the sixth traffic fatality this year happened a few days ago in Iceland). Fines. caravan) are allowed to drive no faster than 90 km/h (56 mph). I have a ticket in Maine from 2003not paid. What do you think? And I said well I dont have enough $ on my CC now and leaving Iceland tomorrow. Emergency services with flashing lights always have right of way. Please check the following requirements: Between November 1st - April 14th: Studded tires are allowed but not compulsory. Such as time and place and the number plate, the staff finds out who was renting the car at the time and is then by law, required to send this information back to the police. As a general guide the fine is usually between $195- $460 USD, however, if you are driving very fast, such as 41+km/h faster than legal top speed in 80-90km zones, then you may get fined $615-$690. Funny, I just got pulled over today a bit after Vik. Get answers to your questions about Reykjavik, Taxi/Bus Costs from KEF Airport to Reykjavik. Ask those many tourists who are, or have been in a hospital, after a traffic accident. I'm going to Iceland later this summer which is a beautiful county and I'm very excited about it. Just 80 percent of fines charged to foreign tourists . For a 70kph limit fines begin at 76kph - try it! Based on my research, it seems that if you dont ever plan on driving in Iceland again, you dont have to pay. Second/Subsequent Extreme DUI Offenses: No less than $3,250. You *can* get caught 3 times (or more!) Instead of paying 30,000 ISK ($247 USD), the fine would be 22,500 ISK ($185 USD). Iceland is a country with many natural wonders, but the best way to explore Icelands natural beauty is by car. A bus is driving faster over the legal limits, 2. When you are visiting Iceland for the first time, it can be very exciting and tempting to jump behind the wheel and race up on the road with yourcar rentalbecause of the beautiful scenery and landscapes. Say I was doing 95? Both were amazing..:). Great way to tick off the tourists spending big in your country. On the sixth day, driving between Hvammstangi and Arnarstapi, I saw a van with flashing lights driving towards me. Considering it was 11pm, it may have been one of the most frightening experiences of my life, especially when it started to rain near the top. There are speed cameras all over the country. The cost of a speeding ticket in Iceland varies according to many factors; such as the speed you are driving. I was mostly concerned with the cameras. One sets the time upon arrival and then, depending on the parking zone, one can park for free for 15 minutes up to several hours. To avoid speeding fines in Iceland, it is essential to know the speed limits. If you are planning to rent a car in Iceland and go on a self-drive tour, but are not too sure of the signs, here are some frequently asked questions on speeding fines in Iceland in case you got on the wrong side of the traffic law: If you are caught violating the speed limit Either: 1. Knowing the driving rules in Iceland will help to keep you safe from harm and from expensive fines! Haha I decided to write it because there really was no blog post or definite answer on whether or not one needed to pay the speeding ticket. a fine for speaking on mobile while driving is raised from 25.000 to 40.000 ISK (from about 250 USD to 400 USD). You can find several tunnels throughout Iceland. Their advice should be taken seriously when driving there, as you can read below. could easily be sourced from the fine - so it could be easier for the Iceland government to continue to provide excellent service to its people and visitors when such fines are paid. You may have noticed as you drive around Iceland, especially outside of Reykjavik, there are not a lot of police. As they were reviewing my license and the rental cars registration, they gave me the option to pay on the spot or receive the ticket later in the mail. I think I would freak if this happened to my, but thanks for keeping me educated!! Use the inside line if you plan to exit on the second, third, or fourth exist. If you intend to drive in Iceland, its important you know the Iceland speed limits. The floating crosswalk was thought up by town environmental commissioner Ralf Trylla. However, police officers most likely have visibility to outstanding fines previously incurred in their country, and definitely will in their specific state/region. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. If you are pulled over, you could be issued with a ticket immediately but if you are caught on a speed camera then the fine will come in the mail - this could take a number of weeks. It was getting too easy to pay the relatively small fine for speeding and then take a three hour fun class to get the corresponding points removed from your record. http://www.sjova.is/files/2007_8_1_messageFromThePolice.jpg. Police in Iceland manages to collect only 45% of speeding tickets given to foreign travelers. Don't speed in (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? The speed cameras in Iceland are pole mounted at the side of the road. The different speed limits in towns and out on the countryside are always well marked and needs to be followed. We just got a fine and my husband paid . Simple. If you are unsure then you should always stick to a slower speed. Impressive. I would love to travel to ???????? Icelandic police have card readers in their vans, so you can pay with either your Debit or Credit card. The officer said I was going 119 which I really doubt but cant confirm (This happened after I stopped and rescued an injured bird so was speeding to get the bird some help)! I received an email indicating i have to pay two more speeding fines that range each from 500-700$ for speeding camera radars from 2:31am and 2:52am on the same highway. We simply dont have the necessary number of people Gurn tells RV. Speeding cameras are dotted around the country and speeding fines can range between ISK 5,000?70,000 (USD 45 to USD 575). Also, please remember that the speed limit is only an indicator of the maximum speed and so if road conditions change (i.e. Keep your eyes peel at all times. in an hour. Driving under the influence of alcohol is punished with hefty fines, starting at 70.000 ISK; Speed limits and fines. If you're wearing sunglasses then remove these before entering the tunnel. Slow down, and the bigger, the safer is the car! ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-8227180', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');rental cars), have had 738 road accidents, and 150 serious injurys this year, from Jan 1. A study done by the University of Iceland found that there is an average of one speed bump every 20 meters in the country. In the Fort Worth, Texas, area, scammers have used the phone to extract payment from unwitting motorists. Driving in Iceland is no different. The general speed limit is 30-50 km/hour in populated areas, 80 km/hour on gravel roads in rural areas and 90 km/hour on paved roads. They can range anywhere from $200 to $700. The #2 is parking fines that are imposed on vehicles that are illegally parked that violate the traffic regulatory law.Here are the fees to expect when you break any of the parking laws in the country: These parking fines are also referred to as the `parking meter citation`. With insufficient numbers of officers, Police relies on peoplesconscience Tunnels in Iceland are safe and the speed limit is sometimes lowered before driving through it. The hire company will have your credit card details and you will have agreed to pay fines when you took the (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Speed limits are very much present and driving under the influence is a strict no-go. Most of them seemed to be unaware of the speed limits and found the amount they had to pay very upsetting, according to Hskuldur Erlingsson, duty officer in Blndus, in an interview with Morgunbladid. If you have an experience receiving a speeding ticket in Iceland or any foreign country, let me know how you handledthe situation in the comments below. Thats the only one I know with several speeding cameras that close to each other. Thanks for the blog.. Too bad I saw it 2 days too late i was caught in almost a similar fashion travelling at 128km per hour in a 90 km zone..by a police car coming in the opposite direction armed with a mobile speed detector..which I sid not see at all. This can be very hard for police officers to decipher. As a general guide, the limits are 50km/h in urban areas and 30km/h on residential roads. Mobile radar detects your speed and you are intercepted by the police in such cases, you are asked to pay immediately and might likely get a discount (25% discount if you pay it within two weeks) OR. Boy was I royaly ripped off! In Iceland, there are two types of parking violation charges: The #1 parking violation charge is a fine meant for vehicles that failed to park at the right designated parking areas or for drivers who stays longer than necessary at the parking area. Most are just camera's and sometimes there's an officer doing the job with a lasergun. Somebody would have to do the math of a higher compliance rate/lower fine structure vs. a higher fine rate/lower compliance, but I bet they'd get more payments at a lower cost. How do I pay my speeding fine in Iceland? Fine $195. They believe that if you dont pay the fine, then dont return. One of the things that you need to be extremely careful with is Iceland's population of over 800,000 wandering sheep. When the plate belongs to a car rental the police must rely on information the traveler has given to the car rental in order to send the ticket to the offender. Driving 36km/h or faster over allowed top speed. Driving in Iceland gives you immense freedom and can be great fun. Definitely not gonna pay one in another countrylol, Iceland is wonderful for mountain lovers. If both your license and passport details werent recorded at the time of the offense or by the rental car company, it seems unlikely that any country would link the two together.