Svendborg Municipality has lost a Kia Niro worth DKK 274,000 after an employee drove recklessly. The man was driving 111 km/h in a 50 km/h zone, was jailed and had his driving license revoked.
Svendborg Municipality is facing a significant financial loss. The municipality has had a Kia Niro electric car confiscated worth 274,000 kroner after a 62-year-old employee went on a short, crazy spree in the car.
The incident took place outside the man's working hours. It involved a municipally owned Kia Niro. Drunk driving is defined by specific, serious violations of the traffic law.
The 62-year-old employee was stopped by the police on January 26. It happened on Nyborgvej in Svendborg. The speed limit here is 50 kilometers per hour.
This is what Fyens Stiftstidende writes.
The man overtook the municipality's car at a whopping 111 kilometers per hour. An excess of more than 100 percent of the permitted speed. This falls under the rules for reckless driving.
The rules for reckless driving carry stricter sanctions. This applies to both the driver and the owner of the vehicle.
Consequences of reckless driving in the Kia Niro
The case has now had legal consequences for the 62-year-old man. He has been sentenced to 20 days in prison for his actions.
In addition to the prison sentence, the man has lost the right to drive a car. The driving license suspension will apply for the next three years.
At the same time as the man's sentence, the car was confiscated. It is the aforementioned Kia Niro electric car. It belongs to Svendborg Municipality and represents a significant value.
The municipality attempted to have the car returned. Representatives of the municipality appeared in court during the case. Here, the 62-year-old man admitted his actions.
However, the court chose to uphold the confiscation of the car. The municipality's request to have it returned was rejected. The court placed emphasis on the municipality's internal procedures.
Future of employee and municipal car regulations
The court's assessment was clear. Svendborg Municipality had not implemented sufficient measures. There was a lack of clear guidelines for the use of the municipality's cars.
According to the court, the municipality had not secured itself well enough against private use. Systems such as driving records or clear agreements on private use were missing. This was decisive for the court's decision.
The lack of these measures meant that the municipality could not get the car back. The loss of the 274,000 kroner Kia Niro is therefore a reality. It is an unexpected loss for the municipality's budget.
The ruling could potentially impact other public institutions. It underscores the importance of clear car policies. Clear rules should prevent misuse of company cars.
Despite the seriousness of the case, it does not appear that it will have employment law consequences. The 62-year-old man will apparently keep his job at Svendborg Municipality.
He is expected to be able to return to his position after serving the 20 days in prison.
Cases of speeding and confiscation of cars regularly fill the media. Read the story of the Bugatti that was recently seized in a 50-speed zone right here .
