Supreme Court upholds car confiscation for reckless driving in Norway

In the summer of last year, a 20-year-old ended up in a field in Sande after trying to flee from police. During the pursuit, his speed reached a maximum of 211 km/h on the E18 highway between Lier and Drammen. He was sentenced to 60 days in prison for reckless driving and had his BMW confiscated. The latter part of the ruling was appealed, and the case has now been concluded by the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court emphasized the seriousness of his actions, noting that the initial part of his driving involved participating in organized illegal street racing on public roads. This type of behavior is increasingly problematic, which justifies the car’s seizure for public safety reasons.

While losing the vehicle will pose a financial burden on the convicted individual, the court ruled that it falls within legal boundaries. The estimated financial impact of the confiscation is between 25,000 and 45,000 Norwegian kroner, which doesn’t prevent the court from upholding the decision.

Last June, masked individuals blocked the E18 to allow cars without license plates to race. According to legal expert John Christian Elden, Norway currently lacks a precedent for confiscating a car solely based on speeding. However, repeat offenders might face harsher penalties if their behavior illustrates a disregard for legal consequences.

In Denmark, police have tools to combat “mad driving,” allowing them to seize cars on-site under specific circumstances, such as exceeding 200 km/h regardless of the speed limit. The recent Supreme Court decision in Norway could have significant implications for similar cases in the future, as noted by prosecutor Anders Mandal Funnemark.