Croatia plans new penalties for illegal car meets after dangerous road chaos

Illegal car meet on Krk (Photo: PU primorsko – goranska)

Croatia is preparing new penalties for illegal car gatherings following several days of disruption in the Rijeka and Krk area.

The events involved large numbers of vehicles gathering without authorisation, resulting in traffic congestion, dangerous driving and other incidents that attracted complaints from local residents.

The Primorsko-Goranska Police Administration has announced that amendments to Croatia’s road safety legislation are being prepared that would specifically prohibit participating in, organising, encouraging or enabling an illegal race without official authorisation.

The proposed provisions would introduce fines ranging from €1,320 to €2,650, a six-month driving ban and six penalty points.

The amendments are intended to address deliberate illegal racing on roads and other traffic areas and act as a deterrent, particularly because of the risks associated with high speeds and conflicts with other road users.

Police in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County recorded around 365 offences during several days of action against an unregistered car gathering that moved between different locations in the region.

The gathering over the weekend had not been reported to police, meaning that its locations, timing, number of participants and movements could not be known in advance. Participants moved between different areas, requiring police to repeatedly adjust the deployment of officers according to developments on the ground.

Police officers from the Primorje-Gorski Kotar Police Department were supported by officers from the national police directorate. The primary objectives were to protect residents and road users, maintain public order and prevent the situation from escalating.

After police action on the island of Krk prevented further disruption to public order, some participants left the area and attempted to continue the gathering elsewhere within the county. Police said they monitored the developments and redirected available resources accordingly.

During the multi-day operation, approximately 365 offences were identified. Most related to Croatia’s Road Traffic Safety Act, while others concerned public order and peace regulations and other legislation.

(Photo: PU primorsko – goranska)

As part of increased traffic controls, 43 vehicles were removed from the road and sent for extraordinary technical inspections to determine whether they met the required safety and technical standards for road use.

Police also highlighted cases involving particularly disorderly or inappropriate behaviour in public places, including conduct that offended citizens or disturbed their peace.

Two official police vehicles were damaged during the operation. Police said they were continuing to establish the circumstances surrounding the damage and identify those responsible.

Despite the mobility of the participants and individual unlawful acts, police said their intervention prevented a further escalation. Short-term disruptions to traffic were reported, but there were no injuries throughout the entire gathering, according to police.

The police department said similar unregistered and mobile car gatherings are not unique to the region or Croatia, noting that comparable activities have also been recorded in countries including Austria, Italy, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Police also thanked members of the public for providing numerous timely reports. According to the department, information from residents helped officers quickly identify developments and respond to incidents, helping to prevent more serious consequences.

The police said they would continue analysing information collected during the operation and would take legally prescribed measures against individuals found to have committed offences.