[fghh45sdfhr3]

Or we are forced to act like adults.

I know Germany has very strict driving laws. I think you can't use your horn for no good reason, can't give other drivers the finger, etc, or you'll be fined. And I think fines are proportional to the value of the car.

I am not sure how much of this strict and high fine system extends to walking on the street rather than driving. But I suspect this type of system instills respect for the law.

And Germans are rumored to be among the best drivers in Europe.

In contrast Belgians, and most Southern Europeans are rumored to be bad drivers. Usually this is then blamed on culture. However, I think it's simply laws and regulations.

The country I am from does not set fines based on the value of the car, does not fine "trivial" things like honking without reason, and actually the system to collect ticket fines is so broken that most of the time you don't have to bother. Shockingly we are known as bad drivers.

[ThePhysicist]

Having the fines go up proportionally to the value of the car would be a hilarious idea, but unfortunately it's not true ;) Most fines have fixed values (typically starting at 10 €), but some are proportional to your income/salary, so for example you can get fined 20 days of salary (20 Tagessätze). Like that it's sure that, regardless of your income, the fine will always be financially painful to you.

[fghh45sdfhr3]

Basing it on your income is even better than basing it on the value of the car.