Swiss BMW Driver Hit with Record-Setting $116,000 Fine for Tailgating: The Consequences of Wealth and Reckless Driving

A Swiss lawyer just got hit with a massive fine – we’re talking $116,000 massive – for tailgating on the highway. And it’s not just a casual case of following a bit too closely; this guy was going 74mph while sitting just 26-40 feet behind the car in front of him.

Apparently, the 58-year-old lawyer was driving a turbo-diesel BMW 540d, and it’s not exactly unusual behavior for a BMW owner to be a bit… assertive on the road. But what is unusual is the fine he’s facing, thanks to Switzerland’s Day-Fine system, which means that penalties are based on the offending party’s income. This lawyer makes around 1.7 million Swiss francs per year (that’s over $2 million), so the fine is pretty steep.

The lawyer tried to appeal the fine, claiming the police didn’t read him his rights during questioning and that the video footage used to determine his following distance was inaccurate. But the court threw those arguments out, saying the police had indeed read him his rights and the video footage was accurate. The lawyer’s claim that his BMW 540d had “sports and racing brakes” didn’t change the outcome either.

In the end, the court did lower the additional 15,000-franc fine to 10,000, but the daily rate remained, meaning the lawyer is still on the hook for 111,500 francs (around $131,500). And, let’s be real, that’s a pretty big price to pay for a little tailgating.

Got tips? Send ’em to [email protected]