Gent“This is not just any kafka, this is an expensive kafka.” Corporate manager and former journalist Bart Van Doorne was very surprised when he emptied his mailbox on Monday. In it he found a letter from the Public Prosecutor’s Office asking if he could pay a friendly settlement of 509.06 euros. “However, it was a fine that I had already paid a year ago.”
In mid-September last year, Bart Van Doorne was struck by lightning while driving on the freeway at a speed of 127 kilometers per hour. For this he was fined 61.84 euros, which he paid immediately. “I was driving a car that belonged to my company, a sole proprietorship.” What Bart didn’t know is that different rules apply to company cars.
Kafkaesque
“It was a four-page fine. However, I just scanned the QR code and thought it was the end. But apparently I overlooked something. “The last page of the fine stated that because he was driving a company car, he had to prove the identity of the driver.” So I wouldn’t have done that. Apparently I had to fill out an online form , print it, sign it and send it back to us, even though it is a sole proprietorship and I am the sole administrator, all very Kafkaesque.
Apparently I had to fill out an online form, print it out, sign it and send it back to us. Even if it is a sole proprietorship
Last Monday Bart suddenly received a remarkable letter from the prosecutor. “The letter stated that I refused to reveal the identity of the driver and therefore had to pay an amicable transaction of EUR 509.06. I have two weeks to do this, otherwise the amount would rise to over € 1,100. However, I have not received any formal reminders or letters in the last year. The letter was not even sent by registered mail. What if I traveled now? “
Justice adjusts the letter
Bart turns out not to be the only one to have received such a letter. “Friends and colleagues who own their own company have also been offered an amicable deal. And my accountant also talks about dozens of cases. “The answer to the question of why Bart and the others received such letters can be found in Justice.” In two out of three traffic violations registered to a company, the driver is not identified. In 2021, there were more than 685,000 violations. ”This is why it was recently decided to monitor this more closely.
However, the letter for immediate collection for companies has been revised. It happened in December last year. “The request to identify the driver became more evident on the first page and the payment option was moved to the second page.”
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