Court gives driver maximum fine after he posts speeding video

Latvia’s Zemgale Regional Court has imposed a €680 fine and a 12-month driving ban on a motorist who posted a video of himself driving at nearly 240 km/h in Tīnūži, LSM reported. Prosecutors called the ruling an important precedent, saying publicly available video can be used to prove an offence.

The case came to the attention of law enforcement in March 2024, after the driver posted footage on social media showing him driving an Audi at almost 240 km/h and narrowly avoiding a crash. The court found that his conduct endangered the health and lives of the driver, his passengers and other road users.

The court also said that filming and sharing the drive showed a sense of impunity, open disrespect for social norms and disregard for the law. On October 22, it imposed the maximum fine set by law, along with the 12-month driving ban.

Prosecutors said the speed violation could be established not only through data from technical devices such as speed cameras, but also through other evidence gathered during administrative proceedings. They said publicly accessible video could form part of that evidence.