
A driver in Germany has been caught tearing down the Autobahn at a jaw-dropping 200mph – more than 120mph over the speed limit.
The incident happened on July 28 during a routine check on the A2 highway near Burg, just outside Berlin. According to police in Magdeburg, the driver (whose name hasn't been released) was clocked by a stationary radar system known as an Enforcement Trailer.
The radar’s display showed what officers described as the "highest recorded speed" they'd seen.
Despite the Autobahn’s global reputation for having no speed limits, that’s only true for some sections. Around 30% of the network does have limits, and the part where this driver was caught is one of them, capped at 120km/h (around 75mph).
As a result, the driver was hit with a €900 (£784) fine, banned from driving for three months, and slapped with two points on their licence.
The story feeds back into Germany’s long-running debate over whether all sections of the Autobahn should have speed limits. While parties like the Greens and Social Democrats argue limits are essential for safety and environmental reasons, others, like the Free Democrats (FDP), say speed is a personal freedom that shouldn’t be taken away.
Back in 2019, the German government rejected a nationwide speed cap, but with more high-speed incidents like this one making headlines, the debate isn’t going away anytime soon.