Rider fined 1.8 million forints for drunk driving e-scooter
A young man was handed a fine of 1.8 million forints and a ban from driving for eighteen months after riding a rented electric scooter while intoxicated in Budapest.
Rider fined 1.8 million forints for drunk driving e-scooter
A young man has been sentenced to a fine of more than 1.5 million forints and a driving ban after operating a rented electric scooter whilst under the influence of alcohol – reports Telex.
According to a decision by the Budapest Central District Court issued at the end of January, the man received a fine of 1.8 million forints and a ban from driving motor vehicles for 1 year and 5 months. The incident occurred in September 2024 near Puskás Stadium, where the young man was operating a TIER branded rental scooter whilst his blood alcohol level was 2.20 per thousand. This figure substantially exceeded the threshold for criminal conduct.
The court took into account mitigating circumstances, including that the man had no previous criminal record, admitted his actions, waived his right to trial, and was the only person injured in the incident. The man required shoulder surgery and suffered reduced range of motion in his arm.
The family considered the decision strict but acceptable. However, the prosecution appealed for harsher penalties: they sought a longer driving ban and objected to the court's inclusion of the period during which the driving licence was officially suspended.
According to information from the Office of the Prosecutor General, the Court of Appeal previously ruled that an electric scooter qualifies as a motor-driven vehicle, and in cases of drunk driving, a driving ban is mandatory even for vehicles not requiring a permit. Practice is now uniform, with courts basing their judgments in such cases on earlier individual decisions.
Source: Telex