site.btaParliament Doubles Speeding Fines

Parliament Doubles Speeding Fines

Sofia, December 8 (BTA) - The National Assembly on Thursday doubled the fines for drivers speeding in or out of population centres. The changes are part of a set of amendments to the Road Traffic Act which passed on second reading.

For speeding inside a population centre, the fines will be as follows: 400 leva for speeds exceeding the limit by between 31 and 40 km/h; 600 leva for speeds exceeding the limit by between 41 and 50 km/h; and 700 leva for speeds exceeding the limit by more than 50 km/h. For speeding outside a population centre, the rates will be as follows: 300 leva for speeds exceeding the limit by between 31 and 40 km/h; 400 leva for speeds exceeding the limit by between 41 and 50 km/h; and 600 leva for speeds exceeding the limit by more than 50 km/h.

The lawmakers decided that a driver who has organized or participated in an illicit race will have their driving licence suspended for 12 months and will be fined 3,000 leva. A second offence will carry a three-year licence suspension and a 5,000 leva fine.

The legislature also doubled the speeding fines for drivers engaged in public transportation of passengers or hazardous goods. The rates will be as follows: 500 leva for speeds exceeding the limit by between 31 and 40 km/h; 800 leva for speeds exceeding the limit by between 41 and 50 km/h; and 1,000 leva for speeds exceeding the limit by more than 50 km/h.

A person who has driven a vehicle on the wrong side of a motorway or speedway against the direction of traffic will have their driving licence suspended for three months and will be fined 1,000 leva. A second offence will carry a six-month licence suspension and a 4,000 leva fine.

A driver who has been behind the wheel with alcohol content in their blood measuring between 0.5 and 0.8 per mille will have their driving licence suspended for six months and will be fined 500 leva. If the alcohol content is between 0.8 and 1.2 per mille, the licence suspension period will be 12 months and the fine will be 1,000 leva.

A motor vehicle will be delicensed and will have its number plates taken away for between six and 12 months if it has been driven by a person who has no driving licence, or if the alcohol content in the driver's blood has been found to exceed 0.5 per mille, or if the driver has refused to be tested for alcohol or drugs. After the term of the penalty expires, the vehicle must undergo a full licensing procedure again.

A parking fine notice will be considered delivered if it has been pasted onto the window of the vehicle.

The maximum demerit points allowed to a newly licensed driver will be two-thirds of the standard limit. The remaining one-third will be added after the person has been on record as a driver for 24 months.