Subsequent cars should cross the bridge in a similar order as they arrived. Iceland Speeding Ticket fines 5 years ago Save Good evening. This is the ultimate goal for me to get to Iceland. Slow down, and the bigger, the safer is the car! According to online statistics, road accidents by foreigners with rental cars is about 157 fatalities from 2007-2017. A parking offence is when you park a car where its simply not allowed to park at any time like on a curb or streets where parking is never allowed. It can be difficult to determine at times as to where you are allowed or not allowed to part but there always are traffic signs informing the driver of the rules and obligations surrounding parking. The police, however, have in many cases had found it difficult to track down the correct addresses of the travelers in question. The speed limit on the Highway 1 ring road is usually 90 km/h (56 mph). Ill keep it short and simple. If they dont have any visible proof of your speeding (short video segment or two photos taken in rapid succession), ask for it. I got a ticket in Iceland for for 16 km/h above the speed limit (90). (30-35 km zones), Driving 36km/h or faster over allowed top speed. I cant wait for you to go! He never paid it and they tracked him down a year later. Option 2: Wait to receive your ticket in the mail and pay the fine with no discount. Driving in Iceland | Visit Reykjavik Guide to Parking in Iceland: rules and how to pay - Hertz 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. Oh and thank you for this blog. The fines for speeding are absolutely ludicrous. If you are unable to avoid getting a fine, then it may be possible for you to dispute it. The crosswalk isnt really floating, of course, its just a painted optical illusion. The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum. To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. The only concern the officer had was for me to pay the stupidly high 80,000. Do I have to have international driving license? Speeding in Iceland is controlled through two main measures; speed cameras and speed bumps. Best Day Hikes in Iceland--Your List of Favorites, Reykjavik Natura - Berjaya Iceland Hotels. Parking violation fines are imposed on vehicles when a parking offense like parking where there is a marked "No Parking Zone" or where the driver parked on the curb or too close to the walkway. What would a Marshall Plan for Ukraine look like? They also warned me on the letters that they would make efforts to collect their money if I didnt pay. While driving inside the tunnel you need to pull over to dedicated parking zones on your right-hand side whenever you see traffic coming from the other side. If there is no marked road or track then you are not allowed to drive there. Speeding is a common offence that people visiting Iceland get fined for, and the fines are costly. If the road you sped on was absent of signs notifying you of speed limits. Thats definitely the risk of not paying immediately. 50/1987Here are the fees associated with these offenses: You will have different options depending on the type of ticket. I also thought it was kind of them to warn me about the speed camera because I actually had no idea Iceland had any! How do I pay my speeding fine in Iceland? 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. I just got done for a 115kph in what happened to be a 90kph zone. You may get your speeding ticket on the day or later. 50-60km/h zones. Speeding ticket + speed cameras? : Iceland - reddit.com As a driver, before you jumped behind any vehicle to drive, its your responsibility to know the traffic laws of the country you are driving in. Speed limits in Iceland vary according to the type of road you are on, so it is important you check signs when driving and keep within speed limits. 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. 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. While some tourists view it as very high, there are others who believe the fines are the same as every other country in Europe. It is known as a floating crosswalk! Tip: Automatic speed-surveillance cameras are notoriously inaccurate. Vehicles pulling a trailer (i.e. Seriously, insane! Girl I know the feeling!! Even if you arent told you have a fine when you return your car, it does not mean you are in the clear. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-95594770', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');car as it was 20,000k more to go to the station to pay. On the lookout Police in Iceland have trouble tracking down and fining foreign speeders. Scandinavian Travel Services ehf. Its definitely nerve-racking getting in trouble with the law, even if its something like a speeding ticket or up-to-date inspections haha. Fines for speeding are quite different from other offenses. From speeding 20 miles over the limit, to passing a stopped school bus, to failure to yield right of way, to having faulty brakes etc. Wait to receive your ticket in the post and pay the fine with no discount. In the Fort Worth, Texas, area, scammers have used the phone to extract payment from unwitting motorists. The cost of a speeding ticket varies according to many factors; such as the speed you are driving. Airport and border. I would love to hear your story! This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Please check the following requirements: Between November 1st - April 14th: Studded tires are allowed but not compulsory. Our major roads are getting filled with little signs the authorities are putting up at the spot of fatalities, I recently counted 19 of these signs, all within ten minutes of my home. I had a friend who was ticketed in Germany! That way you will probably get a 2-week period where the fine lowers by 30% or so. In some cases, you may need to appear in court. If you want to fight your traffic ticket, you must plead "not guilty" in an Arizona court. The minimum depth of tires needs to be 3mm. The Iceland ring road speed limit is 90km/h, but some parts are graveled and the spend limit will be lower. If a speed camera snaps a shot of you, the Icelandic police trace the car back to the proper rental car company. What do speed cameras in Iceland look like? Oh no! The digital screen will display your speed, and if youre under the limit youll be rewarded with a smiley face. Driving 41km/h or faster over allowed top speed . Please send us a line at icelandmag@365.is. Icelandic police have card readers in their vans, so you can pay with either your Debit or Credit card. This is not true, however, as there is a 10,000 ISK fine (75 USD/68 EUR) for driving with only one license plate. You can read about that here An Epic 7-Day Iceland Road Trip In March. There are a couple of reasons for this low number. There is a VERY strong financial disincentive to pay this ticket. For a 70kph limit fines begin at 76kph - try it! Went to iceland back in august, got pulled over at 2:59am for speeding. Based on my research, it seems that if you dont ever plan on driving in Iceland again, you dont have to pay. 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. We just got a fine and my husband paid . Police in Iceland manages to collect only 45% of speeding tickets given to foreign travelers. These are internationally acceptable signs just like you have in any European country. But saying you already received a fine isn't a valid ground for appeal. If you wait until after this deadline, youll have to pay the full amount. Its really up to you, but if you do, Im not even sure your credit card will take your side. I paid the ticket (about $281) to the extremely friendly officer and went on my way. Below you will find a rough guide to speed limits in Iceland. The roads can be narrow, winding and sometimes unpaved; so drivers must be careful not to speed or drive too fast for the conditions. Also, please remember that the speed limit is only an indicator of the maximum speed and so if road conditions change (i.e. 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. Most likely when you receive your ticket in the mail from an Iceland speed camera,they offer a 25% discount if you pay within a certain amount of time. in an hour for speeding, if you were speeding 3 times (or more!) It would haunt me if I didnt. Therefore, its impossible to track down every individual who decides not to pay the fines. Speeding Fines in Iceland Full Guide | Reykjavik Cars Go Icelands office will then withdraw a handling fee of 5000ISK (39USD) as stipulated in the car rental agreement. Speeding fines in Iceland are very expensive. Speeding is a common offence that people visiting Iceland get fined for, and the fines are costly. As a general guide, the limits are 50km/h in urban areas and 30km/h on residential roads. In rural areas, gravel roads are 80km/h and paved roads 90km/h. This happens to my boyfriend almost every week ?? Even if you arent told you have a fine when you return your rental car, it does not mean you are in the clear. I know it's harsh but that's the way it works in (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Where were you driving? 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. We drove the ring road in 5 days, perhaps a bit too ambitiously. However, as in every country, you need to keep to the regulated speed limit and Iceland is no different. With insufficient resources police relies on people's good conscience. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-8224951', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Iceland. 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. Fines. The speed cameras in Iceland are pole mounted at the side of the road. If you're wearing sunglasses then remove these before entering the tunnel. Overall, not a terrible experience. However, most of the speeding cameras are located in the south part of Iceland which has fewer police patrols. In other cases travelers have put down their hotel as an address, and tracking down the correct home address can be extremely time consuming. Is the collection made after the ticket is issued, or is the offender given time to send in the money? Parking in Reykjavik is the same as parking in any other European capital. Parking is free but you need to get a parking clock at a gas station, tourist information and there are shops that carries them too. 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. Driving in a foreign country can be exciting, stressful and educational. The general speed limits are as follows: 50 km/h or less in urban/residential areas; 80 km/h on gravel roads (we recommend slower speeds) From Iceland Two Speeding Tickets In Twenty Minutes ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-8240339', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Iceland. One thing to consider when you are driving in Iceland is the weather factor. Fines for driving too fast differs with the offence. I just got back from Iceland and got pulled over between auristly and borgarnes. peppinoss77 - US$ 200 = in round figures ISK 20.000 so that doesn't compute for 3kph over the speed limit - try entering a limit of 30kph and you'll find the lowest fine is ISK 5.000 at 36kph. 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. As a general guide the fine is usually between $195- $460 USD, however, if you are driving very fast, such as 41+km/h above the legal top speed (in 80-90km zones), then you may get fined $615-$690. It goes up to 30.000ISK (230USD) after 14 days and after 28 days to 40.000ISK (307USD), Blastasjur who takes care of the parking system in Reykjavik sends an E-mail to the main office of Go Iceland Car Rental with all the detail of the offence.The staff finds out who was renting the car and sends information to the driver of the car. Being caught by a police officer doesn't mean you're off the hook for the rest of the speedtraps. #istanbul #turkey #visit_tu. Just 80 percent of fines charged to foreign tourists . Painful lesson learned as I was not aware the speeding fine was so eye wateringly steep in Iceland. If you were a local (or European) you would be looking at 6 points on your license as well as the fine. Iceland Speed Enforcement | Radar Detector & Countermeasure Forum Driving 36km/h or faster over allowed top speed. a fine for speaking on mobile while driving is raised from 25.000 to 40.000 ISK (from about 250 USD to 400 USD). If you are unsure then you should always stick to a slower speed. Here's a short summary for you. All Iceland campgrounds will be open and operate during Summer all over the country, including the remote highland area. What do you do if you get a speeding ticket in Iceland? 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. ???? Well now I'm reading horror stories about the speed cameras in Iceland and the rental car companies charging people's card for a ton of money. Honestly, I was ready to pay if it was less than $200 but that much money in an almost empty highway was just too much. Join our weekly hand curated newsletter to have all the latest news from Iceland sent to you. Fines for everything will be raised a lot. Animals should be taken into consideration. In case you got caught on camera, chances are that the traffic authorities will issue the fine to your car rental company. Great way to tick off the tourists spending big in your country. Both icelandicguide and FrozebBaz have posted here concerning tourists and driving in (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? I guess we just can't win. Car rental companies are required by law to give the authorities your details if you receive a speeding ticket whilst driving their cars. We are quite sure you likely have a few questions that need answered. There have been few incidents in the past where people have hired rental cars, travelled, returned home, and then weeks later received a letter to their home address with a request to pay fines in Iceland. They also got my address from the driver license. In this post, we collected all the information and costs of violating the law. ???? You will be heavily fined for spending a night at private parking lots or other areas outside of the campsites. Create a free account and access your personalized content collection with our latest publications and analyses. Gurn says. Parking works differently in Akureyri. That is the question. In most areas outside of city limits, the speed limit is anywhere from 60 to 80 km/h for unpaved roads. By going over the speed limit, of course. Speeding tickets issued by speeding cameras along the highway have proven especially hard to collect, as the cameras record the license plate number of offending motorists. Most are just camera's and sometimes there's an officer doing the job with a lasergun. Hi there! As a general guide the fine is usually between $195- $460 USD, however, if you are driving very fast, such as 41+km/h above the legal top speed (in 80-90km zones), then you may get fined $615-$690. By using the website you agree on our policy on cookies.Close. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-88003033', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Reykjavik and Borgarnes. Speeding Fines Simplified for Tourists. How to avoid speeding tickets in Iceland - Nordic Car Rental This sign means there is a one-way tunnel system ahead. If you intend to drive in Iceland, its important you know the Iceland speed limits. The main reason for high fines in Iceland is that us locals can be driving fiends, and often pay little attention to road conditions. It has proven particularly difficult to collect fines from Russian and Chinese motorists. On the same trip, I saw the northern lights. Some rental car companies charge a handling fee for this. 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. I wish the fines were at least double what they are. There are a lot of rules on the road, most of them are obvious; such as, in Iceland you drive on the right, overtake on the left, seat belts are mandatory for drivers and all passengers, headlights are also mandatory, dont drink and drive and dont go over the speed limit. We got a ticket for wrong parking (duh) in Spain. Fines for off-road driving are significant, a group of four French tourists was given an ISK 400,000 fine for off-road driving. Your main question might be "do I need to pay the fine?". Blikavellir, KEF International Airport (Iceland). the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service. I did get stopped here in NZ because my car wasnt up to date with these specific inspections Luckily I got a warning and just had to get the inspection done and passed then send it to the police. They want(ed) me to pay 50650 ISK. The floating crosswalk was thought up by town environmental commissioner Ralf Trylla. And most of these accidents are caused by speeding. Is it an automatic ticket? Keeping to the right speed limit is very important as spontaneous dangers can present themselves on Iceland roads. In those cases cameras understandably cannot record the license plate number of a speeding car. Driving in Iceland : Iceland Travel Guide : Nordic Visitor Many fixed speed cameras are located in the south of the island and other areas where there is a smaller police presence. Verified Expert. Most of these accidents are because of speeding. A car pulling any type of trailer is driving over the legal limits. The Icelandic police will trace the speeding car and if the car belongs to Go Iceland Car Rental, the main office gets an E-mail with the all the information of the offending car. Also, many tks for info about how they control tickets in (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? It seems the question itself angered a few Icelandic citizens who dont appreciate this mindset of I dont live there, so why should I deal with the consequences. Let the holiday travels commence! 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. 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. Always give way to indicating buses leaving a bus stop. 30-35 km zones. a fine for speaking on mobile while driving is raised from 25.000 to 40.000 ISK (from about 250 USD to 400 USD). Iceland is a country with many natural wonders, but the best way to explore Icelands natural beauty is by car. Don't worry, we won't spam you. Naturally, I thought it was an ambulance so I pulled over. Also, both officers were confused and initially said they dont know what other option I have. They can also go to the website of Blastasjur and see pictures of the car. However, driving in Iceland requires some more precautions compared to driving in other countries. BTW I have always found local drivers in Iceland both private and professional to be extremely courteous. Recently, a tourist from the Czech Republic who was fined for a speed violation complained that the fine was equivalent to his monthly salary also an Italian woman was noticed to be in tears when she was told how much she has to pay for violating the speed law. I know of an speeding violation that resulted in a $900 USD ticket that arrived 6 months after the fact. Simple. And dont forget, the (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-95594839', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Iceland a rip off for speeding fines! The low speed limit is not just about safety, it's about quality of life. The floating crosswalk is not the usual method of tackling speeding in Iceland, but its definitely the most inventive! Ripped off? The driver has then a chance to pay the fine but if that is not done, Go Iceland Car Rental pays the fine and withdraws that sum from the drivers credit plus a 5000ISK handling fee as stipulated in the rental contract (see above). Use our "Jump to Chapter" if you want to get to some of the info quickly. Foreign Speeding and Parking Fines - driver abroad Both were amazing..:). I did not pay, and will never go back. There are varying opinions based on the speed fines in Iceland. Im cu, I Istanbul Promise! Follow the roundabout on the outside line whilst indicating towards the inside lane until you've reached your exit, at this point indicate towards your exit. Also, there are no roundabouts in the whole of Iceland with more than two lanes. If you get your ticket in the mail from a speed camera, you have two options. The maximum speed on most paved roads outside of towns and villages in Iceland is 90 km/hr, which is 56 mph. I received an email indicating i have to pay two more speeding fines that range each from 500-700$ for speeding camera radars from 2:31am and 2:52am on the same highway. If you want to, you can choose not to pay the fine! Parking and camping outside of designated camping zones in Iceland are illegal. . I would be so freaked out being pulled over in a country where I didnt speak the language!! If the road you were caught speeding on was absent of signs notifying you of speed limits. 2015-2023 Northbound. The message here is DON'T SPEED! Speed limits are very much present and driving under the influence is a strict no-go. Arizona Traffic Tickets & Violations | DMV.ORG You'll fine the answers here! Image:REUTERS/Anton Vaganov. If there's one thin, Top 5 Bars In Istanbul, Turkey | The Old City of Sultanahmet, The Best Day Trips From Nice | What To Do & How To Get There, An Epic 7-Day Scotland Road Trip Itinerary | Highland & Castles Edition, 5 Reasons Why You Should NOT Visit Santorini, What To See In Medieval Rhodes | Old Town Walking Tour, Staying At The Funky Loft In Brooklyn, NY, 12 Best Things To Do In Rio De Janeiro Brazil, Nour El Nil: Malouka | Nile Cruise Review, Hi, you wrote about Chichime, where the Kuna run a hostel for, Thanks for this information very useful but also proves what an increasingly, Please, utter rubbish. One thing making Iceland stand out to many countries are the swift weather changes one has to be prepared for, especially driving around Iceland off season, like low sun, snow blizzards coming from no where, slippery roads and so on. They said I had to pay. I'm so glad they are finally raising the fines. 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. Why is it important to obey Iceland speed limits? I am not sure if this post goes in the sad or absurd file. Iceland Speed Limits and Managing a Speeding Fine in Iceland There are differences inspeed limits in townsand the surrounding countryside and they are all well marked for drivers attention. Don't break the law and you won't have to pay fines. Some have the speed stickers posted on the dashboard while some have a big sign in their main office with the speed limit boldly written on it. You may have noticed as you drive around Iceland, especially outside of Reykjavik, there are not a lot of police. - pay later once you get the ticket in the mail with no discount, - dont pay, dispute and face repercussions, - pay (paying within a given time limit grants a discount). Gurn Hauksdttir a police officer with the Police in Stykkishlmur in Western Iceland, where data from roadside cameras is processed, told the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service RV that one reason is that travelers frequently write their addresses in hand in their own alphabet, which can be difficult to decipher for police officers. Each and every rental service demands you sign a contract where you agree to adhere to the traffic law. So if you were consistently speeding you'll probably have been picked up by the automatic cameras. Pedestrians crossing a zebra crossing, that has no lights, always have the right of way. One woman lost $3,000 to a scammer who used the names of real police officers to rip her . You shouldnt have to pay your fine if they do not have any substantial, visible proof. Answer 1 of 38: Hello, I am just curious as to what the speeding penalties are for a British tourist in Iceland? This website uses cookies to help you browse on the website/ web. They believe that if you dont pay the fine, then dont return. These Iceland speed limits are the legal maximum, but depending on driving conditions, you may wish to drive slower. Im sure they committed fraud as they charged him well above the speed table provided on the internet . A lot of car rental companies also charge a handling fee if you get a speeding ticket. There are new traffic signs to learn, different driving styles, avarietyof different road types and situations, speed limits and different laws. Less than half of foreign travellers pay their Icelandic speeding tickets Tunnels in Iceland are safe and the speed limit is sometimes lowered before driving through it. 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. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-88000896', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Iceland, as well as so many speed limit signs.