Speeding motorists in Austria risk having cars seized and auctioned

Local authorities say they are trying to bring illegal street races and other cases of extreme speeding under control. While most drivers will not have noticed any races, they do cause deaths, sometimes involving bystanders.

Specifically, anyone caught driving 60km/h an hour (37mph) above the 50km/h speed limit in towns, or 70km/h above the 130km/h limit elsewhere, will have their vehicle seized for up to two weeks.

The move follows measures introduced last year that increased the length of time drivers lose their licences for in cases of speeding and extreme speeding.