Being caught driving too fast in Sweden usually leads to a fine of between 2,000 and 4,000 kroner.
You can also have your driver’s license suspended, and if you drive really fast, it can be classed as recklessness in traffic. Then both daily fines and imprisonment are included in the punishment scale.
Most people who regularly drive too fast, however, do not get caught on time and off time. Despite this, speeding can cost you thousands of kroner every year.
A question of consumption
The culprit in the drama – in addition to the speeder himself – is fuel consumption, which at higher speeds increases drastically the faster you drive. This is mainly due to air resistance, which increases squarely in relation to speed.
That means according to the organization Green Mobilists that fuel consumption increases by around 20 percent if you increase the speed from 90 km/h to 110 km/h. A thrifty car that only consumes 0.5 liters per mile at 90 km/h then consumes 0.6 liters per mile at 110.
The Swedish Transport Agency puts it as the fuel consumption of an internal combustion engine increases by between 0.05 and 0.1 liters per mile for every 10 km/h higher speed above 70 to 75 km/h.
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Fast driving quickly turns into thousands
The latter example is a more general way of measuring, but 10 km/h is a more normal speeding offense for most people and the numbers are easy to calculate. And it doesn’t take any advanced math to realize that speeding can quickly become quite expensive if you’re driving a petrol or diesel car.
An average passenger car in Sweden travels roughly 10,000 kilometers a year, and we make the assumption that at least half of these are traveled on roads with a speed limit of 70 km/h or more.
If you drive an average of 10 km/h too fast on these roads, it leads to an increased consumption of between 25 and 50 liters per year, based on the Swedish Transport Agency’s figures. Today, the petrol price is around SEK 19.50, which means that speeding results in additional costs of between SEK 488 and 975 a year.
An additional cost of just under SEK 1,000 per year is something most motorists can swallow, and corresponds to roughly half of the minimum fine for speeding.
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Big difference if you commute a long way
However, if you regularly commute longer distances, the costs become more noticeable. I know several long-distance commuters who drive up to 40,000 kilometers a year, of which at least 30,000 kilometers are covered on country roads and motorways.
In that case, an average speed violation of 10 km/h leads to extra fuel consumption of between 150 and 300 liters per year. This means an additional cost of between SEK 2,925 and 5,850 a year.
Spending close to SEK 500 extra on petrol every month is probably noticeable to many, especially if the purpose is just to get to and from work.
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A good food for thought
The calculation example above is not an exact science, as different cars pull different amounts at different speeds.
You could also calculate how much additional components such as tires and suspension are worn by the higher speeds. You can also count on the social costs of increased emissions and road wear. Against this one could set the benefit of possible time savings.
It is rather a simple illustration that the risk of getting a fine of a few thousand kroner is not necessarily the highest monetary cost of speeding. In the long run, if you routinely speed, you will likely spend many thousands more at the gas pump than you spend in fines.
It can also be a food for thought for those who drive a lot on major roads, and have a heavy right foot. Maybe it’s time to slow down for the sake of the wallet – or get an electric car and drive as usual for that matter.
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