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Police Crack Down on Speedy Drivers

Police say new procedures for dealing with speeding violations have already brought down average speeds. Beginning this month, police have issued on-the-spot fines whenever motorists exceed speed limits by 11 kilometers per hour.

Image: YLE

Drivers pushing limits by 6 to 10 kilometers per hour are handed written warnings. Prior to the change, the threshold for slapping motorists with fines for speeding varied in different parts of Finland.

Police say they are pleased with the results so far. They add that the opportunity to chat with drivers about the risks of speeding helps the message sink in.

After just a few days, police say they have noticed drivers are slowing down. Officers vow to continue to improve the monitoring of urban areas, for instance, near schools.

Heikki Ihalainen, the chief inspector at the Ministry of the Interior, says he thinks it is perfectly realistic to expect drivers to stay within speeding limits.

"However it could take two to three years before we see a real change," he says.

Sources: YLE