Artist, Speeding Crime | Famous artist risks jail time after being caught driving in his 50s

On Monday, the man must appear before the Oslo District Court accused of reckless driving after being taken in a measurement that showed 108 km / h in a place where the maximum allowed speed was 50 km / h indicated by a poster.

The incident occurred in May this year at 9:50 p.m. along the E18 at Sande in Vestfold. The man was driving a black 2010 Mercedes Benz with more than 200 hp and an automatic transmission, according to the car’s technical data.

The man, who lives in Oslo, has admitted to exceeding the permitted speed limit, which was set in connection with road works, and is meeting in a confession case.

Prison risks

The man runs the risk of being sentenced to 16 days in prison, according to Nettavisen. This is the punishment for which the prosecution has filed a lawsuit. But it is the court that makes an independent evaluation of the sentence.

The artist also runs the risk of being left without a driver’s license for 18-21 months and has already been revoked.

The artist does not want to comment on the case to Nettavisen.

On the section in question, there is normally a speed limit of 110 km / h, says Tonje Halvorsen at the road traffic center, which is a unit of the Norwegian Public Roads Administration. It also says that electrical work was being carried out on part of the stretch, and that therefore the speed limit was set at 50 km / h the night the artist was taken away.

– My client has gone to bed and is receiving his punishment for the speeding violation. You didn’t see the slowdown sign when road work was taking place in the reduced speed zone that night, where there is normally a higher speed limit. He kept what he thought was the speed limit, writes artist advocate John Christian Elden in an email to Nettavisen.

– You are aware that the speed is so high that you risk being imprisoned. At the same time, we believe that it should be seen up to the normal limit of the road. He regrets the crime, but in this case it did not have dangerous consequences since the road is dimensioned for a speed of 110 km / h, which is something completely different than, for example, the same speed in a city, writes Elden.

Police lawyer Maria Weider affirms that she will not comment on the specific case and that her statements are of a general nature.

– When you are found guilty of driving at a speed greater than 96 km / h in the area of ​​50, you usually react to unconditional imprisonment. As a starting point, it is assumed that people go unpunished. If the person in question has been previously sanctioned for similar circumstances, this may be aggravated at the time of sentencing. Confession should be emphasized and a somewhat reduced sentence is usually given, depending on the case and other evidence, he writes in an email to Nettavisen.

– Speed, along with driving under the influence of drugs, is one of the main reasons why traffic accidents occur with serious injuries or even death. Speeding is dangerous regardless of the speed limit. In Zone 50, it is often the consideration of vulnerable road users, access roads, and exits that justifies the speed limit. This is lower when the speed limit is higher and consequently the risk of an accident is somewhat lower.

Must participate in family programs

The man in his 50s is a well-known artist and leader of a popular Norwegian band who has been playing for over 20 years and has been at the top of the Norwegian charts on several occasions.

He will also participate in a popular family television show in 2021 that he has already started filming.

The band he’s a part of is set up with several gigs next summer after they have been canceled this year due to the crown crisis.

Trygg Trafikk believes that each individual driver has a special responsibility to comply with applicable traffic rules. When the communications manager Ingrid Trømborg speaks in this case, she emphasizes that she does not know the specific case with the artist and that she speaks in a general way.

– In 40 percent of all fatal accidents, speed is a contributing factor. Speed ​​is one of the three factors that contribute to most accidents, along with inattention and intoxication, Ingrid Trømborg, Trygg Trafikk’s communications manager, tells Nettavisen.

– Speed ​​limits are set as is for a reason, although some may not agree with them. There may be reasons such as infrastructure, road surroundings, and road standards that cause speed limits to be set as is. When you drive fast and unforeseen things happen, you also have less time to react. This increases the risk of accidents.

– What about cases where work is done and the speed limit on a section is temporarily lowered, can you excuse driving too fast right there?

– You still have to keep the speed limit. If it is abandoned, it is precisely because it is working there and drivers must pay special attention.

– Risks of harming others

Trømborg also refers to section 3 of the Road Traffic Act on the basic rules for traffic where it is stated:

“Everyone must travel with consideration and be vigilant and cautious so that there is no danger or damage and so that other traffic is not unnecessarily obstructed or disturbed.”

– When you drive faster than the speed limit, you often run the risk of injuring yourself or others. This is a basic rule that we must all keep in mind. It’s one thing to expose yourself to risk, but you also run the risk of harming others. If you drive too fast, you won’t have time to react if something unexpected happens. It is also important to take this into account.

– Even if it is late at night, the same principle applies. We are never completely alone on the road. In traffic there is a continuous interaction with others, and it must be taken into account that there may be a moose on the road, another car or that others on the road do not comply with the regulations. Despite the fact that it is 10 pm at night, we cannot assume that there are no others, or that there are few road users.