EU Driver Database from 2013

The European Union (EU) has decided to create an organized system which would allow it to track and fine drivers who commit offenses in the member countries, regardless of the state of origin. Simply put, if you get caught speeding in Germany and you live in France, you'll get the fine and penalty which applies to the offense in the state where you committed it.

The system will be based on an electronic data-exchange agreement between the member states. This will eliminate, for instance, the traffic camera's inability to identify license plates originating from other countries.The transport ministers of several member countries have given their seal of approval for the initiative.

The offenses included in the common agreement, which will come into effect in 2013, include not wearing a seat belt, driving through a red light, driving under the influence of drugs, illegal use of the emergency lane, talking on a hand-held mobile phone while driving, failure to respect rules on the use of crash-helmets and, of course, speeding.

“If you get stopped or photographed committing one of these offences, the police in the member state where you committed the offence will be able to track you down and decide whether and how to prosecute you,” Siim Kallas, the European commissioner for transport, was quoted as saying by europeanvoice.com.

Officially, the EU says it is not yet planning to use a common traffic law throughout, but signals are that, rather sooner than latter, the same punishment which applies in Germany, for instance, will be valid in Romania.

The EU also says the police of the member state where you committed the offense will not be able to enforce punishments, but that is contradicted by Kallas' statement, particularly the “decide whether and how to prosecute you” part.