Will I be penalized if I drive at 60 in a 50 km/h speed limit zone and get caught?
2 Answers
Driving at 60 in a 50 km/h speed limit zone will not result in penalties since it does not exceed 50% of the speed limit. The following three scenarios will not incur demerit points or fines: 1. Speeding <50%: On roads with speed limits <60 km/h, speeding <50% without causing consequences results in a warning without penalty. For example, in a 40 km/h zone, driving at 48 km/h (20% over) will not lead to demerits or fines. 2. Speeding <10%: Except for special vehicles like trucks, school buses, or passenger buses, regular vehicles speeding less than 10% will only receive a warning. For instance, driving at 128 km/h on a 120 km/h highway (7% over) will not incur penalties. 3. Driving 20% below the minimum speed limit: Falling below 20% of the minimum speed limit is not penalized. For example, in a 100 km/h minimum zone, driving at or above 80 km/h is not a violation. However, driving slower may result in penalties for excessively low speed, unless caused by traffic accidents, road repairs, or similar factors.
I had a similar experience last month when I was caught by a speed camera driving at 58 km/h on a road with a 50 km/h limit. A friend from the traffic police told me that exceeding the speed limit by less than 10% usually only results in a warning, but going over 10% will lead to penalties. According to the new traffic regulations, driving at 60 km/h in a 50 km/h zone is a 20% overspeed, which definitely warrants fines and points. I was fined 200 yuan and had 3 points deducted for that violation. Nowadays, the precision of cameras is terrifyingly high—even my friend riding a motorcycle crossing a white line was clearly captured. If you're really in a hurry, it's better to leave earlier. The money lost from one fine could cover half a year's fuel expenses.
