A driver in Finland's autonomous province of the Aland Islands, where penalties are determined by the offender's income, has been fined over 120,000 euros (nearly $130,000) for speeding.
This is the third time local businessman Anders Wiklof, the chairman of a holding company bearing his name that covers numerous businesses ranging from logistics and helicopter services to real estate and tourism, gets busted with a hefty, attention-grabbing fine. While his previous exploits also grabbed headlines across the globe, this repeat offence is the first one to crack six figures in euros. Overall, Wiklof has forked out some 280,000 euros (about $300,000) over the past decade alone.
Wiklof was driving 82 kilometers per hour in a 50 kilometer per hour zone when stopped by the police. Along with the fine, he had his driver's license suspended for a fortnight.
The culprit himself said he was aware of going from a 70 to a 50 zone and that he had been slowing down, but that he evidently failed to do it quickly enough. He told local media that he deeply regretted the matter and expressed hope that the money he paid would be used for the country's healthcare system.
Wiklof, a native of the Aland Islands located halfway between the Swedish capital of Stockholm and the Finnish city of Turku on the country's western coast, is believed to be the archipelago's richest resident, credited with being the nation's undisputed champion in speeding fines.
Finland operates on a so-called "day fine" system based on the offender's daily disposable income. The higher the breach of speed limit, the more day fines the offender is bound to receive. This is believed to be one of the reasons why Finland generally has few fatal road accidents.
Impressive as they are, Wiklof's traffic adventures still pale in comparison with the largest speeding fine in the world that according to the Guinness Book of Records stands at $290,000 issued to an anonymous motorist in Switzerland, which maintains a system similar to Finland's.