British motorists risk enormous £850 fine for driving in Germany despite police guidance for Euro 2024
England and Scotland fans are being warned of driving in Europe this summer for the Euros
GETTY
British drivers are being warned of massive fines when travelling in Germany for the European Championships despite new guidance from the police.
Hundreds of thousands of England and Scotland fans are set to travel to Germany for the Euros this year as the home nations try and cover themselves in European glory.
However, Britons could face huge fines if they are caught driving in a dangerous condition throughout the duration of the Euros across June and July.
National laws were changed in April which saw cannabis legalised in Germany, with further rule changes seeing a limit of 3.5 nanograms of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) per millilitre of blood, DW reported.
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British motorists could face fines when driving in Germany for the Euros
GETTYAnyone who breaks these laws faces a hefty €500 (£422) fine, as well as a one-month driving ban on anyone who exceeds the limit while behind the wheel.
A further €1,000 penalty is on offer for motorists who drink any alcohol while under the influence of cannabis - potentially costing drivers up to £845.54.
Despite the new legal limits, the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU), called it a "black day for transport safety in Germany", adding that the rules were "absurd".
Despite the new rules and the potential for hefty punishments for any football fans, some experts have called on rowdy English fans to smoke cannabis instead of drinking excessive amounts of alcohol.
A spokesperson for Gelsenkirchen Police, where England played their first game last night against Serbia, said Britons needed to be sensible before driving in Germany.
Stephan Knipp said: "It’s no problem for fans to smoke cannabis on the street.
“If we see a group of people drinking alcohol and looking a bit aggressive, and another group smoking cannabis, of course we’ll look at the group drinking alcohol.
“Drinking alcohol can make someone more aggressive, and smoking cannabis puts people in a chill mood. We want to prevent violence and keep people safe.
“Our focus will be on fans who are drinking and potentially getting violent — that’s why we in place safety precautions on alcohol,” he told the Sun.
Although most people travelling from the UK to the Euros will be over the age of 21, any recently qualified drivers who passed their test within the last two years are banned from consuming any cannabis at all.
According to Stefanie Iwersen-Bergman, head of toxicology at the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, people would have between 10 and 150 nanograms of THC per millimetre immediately after smoking one joint.
The CDU also called for an absolute ban on cannabis consumption for people operating vehicles, although this motion was rejected by the Bundestag.
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England beat Serbia 1-0 in the opening game of their Euros campaign
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Under the new rules, passed on April 1, adults in Germany are allowed to carry up to 25 grams of cannabis, with no more than 50 grams stored at home in addition to a maximum of three plants.