Sydney has earned a dubious distinction as one of the world’s costliest cities for parking fines, ranking among the top 10 globally, according to a new study by Compare the Market. The comparison site analyzed fines for parking violations, speeding, running red lights, and driving under the influence across 30 major capital cities worldwide.
Sacramento, USA, emerged with the highest overall driving fines globally, with penalties such as $114.08 for overtime parking up to one hour, $1521.13 for drunk driving, $760.56 for running a red light, and $362.03 for speeding up to 10km/h over the limit, all converted to Australian dollars.
Sydney, known for its stringent parking regulations, recorded an average fine of $215 for overstaying in on-street parking spaces, making it more expensive to receive a parking ticket than a speeding fine, which averages $137 for infringements up to 10km/h over the limit.
Among the cities surveyed, only London ($248.14), Dublin ($326.35), and Toronto ($501.11) surpassed Sydney in terms of parking fine severity.
Overall, Sydney ranked fifth globally for its comprehensive driving fines, while Melbourne narrowly missed the top 10, placing 11th with notable fines averaging $481 for running red lights and $475 for drunk driving. However, parking fines in Melbourne were notably lower at an average of $96 per ticket.
In contrast, Wellington, New Zealand, stood out as the city with the most affordable fines among the surveyed locations. Wellington imposed fines of $181.52 on average for drunk driving, $27.23 for speeding up to 10km/h over the limit, and a mere $13.61 for overstaying parking limits by up to an hour.
For motorists concerned about hefty fines, these comparisons highlight the varying degrees of enforcement and penalty severity across global cities, influencing local driving behaviors and financial considerations.
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