- Legal Basis
- § 315d StGB
- Sentencing Range
- Imprisonment of up to two years or a fine; up to ten years if death results
- Summary
- Participating in or organising an unauthorised motor vehicle race on public roads
Illegal Motor Vehicle Racing (Section 315d German Criminal Code) – Criminal Defence Against Illegal Racing Charges
Since 2017, Section 315d StGB criminalises unauthorised motor vehicle races. The legislature responded to fatal accidents in illegal street races by creating a distinct criminal offence that covers both participation in organised races and so-called solo races. For expats in Germany, this is a particularly important provision to understand, as even driving at extremely high speed without a competitor may constitute a criminal offence.
Statutory Text – Section 315d StGB
Paragraph 1 No. 1: Whoever organises or conducts an unauthorised motor vehicle race on public roads shall be punished with imprisonment of up to two years or a fine.
Paragraph 1 No. 2: The same applies to whoever participates as a driver in an unauthorised motor vehicle race.
Paragraph 1 No. 3: The same applies to whoever, as a motor vehicle driver, drives at an inappropriate speed and in a grossly improper and reckless manner in order to reach the highest possible speed.
Paragraph 2: Whoever, in the cases of paragraph 1 no. 2 or 3, endangers the life or physical integrity of another person or property of significant value belonging to another, shall be punished with imprisonment of up to five years or a fine.
Paragraph 5: If the offender causes the death or serious injury of another person, or injury to a large number of persons, the penalty shall be imprisonment from one to ten years.
Elements of the Offence in Detail
Motor vehicle race: A race is a competition in which at least two participants seek to achieve the highest possible speed with their motor vehicles. It is irrelevant whether a pre-agreed route is used.
Solo race (no. 3): Even without an opponent, a person commits an offence if they drive at an inappropriate speed and in a grossly improper and reckless manner in order to reach the highest possible speed. The decisive factor is the intent to reach the highest possible speed – merely driving fast or speeding does not suffice.
Inappropriate speed: The speed must be inappropriately high in light of the specific circumstances – road conditions, traffic volume, and visibility.
Concrete endangerment (para. 2): Where there is concrete endangerment of life, physical integrity, or significant property, the sentencing range increases to up to five years of imprisonment.
Typical Methods of Commission
In practice, prosecuted cases include organised street races, spontaneous races at traffic lights (so-called traffic light races), high-speed drives through city centres particularly at night, pursuit drives, and high-performance vehicles driven at full capacity on public roads. Increasingly, solo races are also coming under prosecution focus – such as driving a sports car at high speed through a residential area.
Sentencing Range
Simple participation or organisation is punished with imprisonment of up to two years or a fine. For concrete endangerment (para. 2), the penalty increases to up to five years of imprisonment. If a person is killed, the penalty is imprisonment from one to ten years (para. 5). The driving licence is typically revoked, and the vehicle may be confiscated (Section 315f StGB).
Typical Defence Strategies
Defence against illegal racing charges frequently focuses on the distinction between a race and merely driving fast. For solo races under no. 3, the intent to reach the highest possible speed must be proven – mere speeding without this specific intent does not constitute a race within the meaning of the law. The defence further examines whether the elements of gross impropriety and recklessness were actually present and whether concrete endangerment can be proven. Rechtsanwalt Bafteh develops an individual defence strategy for each case with the aim of averting severe penalties and driving licence revocation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was ist ein verbotenes Kraftfahrzeugrennen?
Nach § 315d StGB sind die Teilnahme an und die Ausrichtung verbotener Rennen sowie das grob verkehrswidrige und rücksichtslose Fahren mit höchstmöglicher Geschwindigkeit (sogenanntes Einzelrasen) strafbar.
Welche Folgen drohen?
Freiheits- oder Geldstrafe, die Entziehung der Fahrerlaubnis sowie die Einziehung des Fahrzeugs. Bei Gesundheits- oder Todesfolge erhöht sich die Strafe erheblich.
Welche Verteidigungsansätze gibt es?
Geprüft werden der Nachweis der Renn-Absicht beziehungsweise der höchstmöglichen Geschwindigkeit, die Fahreridentifizierung und die Messungen.
Muss ich zur Polizei, wenn ich als Beschuldigter vorgeladen werde?
Einer rein polizeilichen Police Summons müssen Sie als Beschuldigter nicht folgen, und Sie sind nie verpflichtet, sich zur Sache zu äußern. Einer Ladung der Staatsanwaltschaft oder des Gerichts sollten Sie folgen – schweigen dürfen Sie aber auch dort.
Sollte ich vor der Akteneinsicht aussagen?
In aller Regel nein. Ohne Kenntnis der Ermittlungsakte lässt sich nicht beurteilen, welche Beweise vorliegen. Eine Einlassung sollte erst nach Akteneinsicht und in Abstimmung mit dem Verteidiger erfolgen.
Kann ein Strafverfahren eingestellt werden?
Ja. Je nach Beweislage kommen eine Einstellung mangels hinreichenden Tatverdachts (§ 170 II StPO), wegen Geringfügigkeit (§ 153 StPO) oder gegen Auflagen (§ 153a StPO) in Betracht. Nach Akteneinsicht prüfen wir die Möglichkeiten.
Summons or accusation of Illegal Street Racing? What matters now
Make no statement to the police at first
As an accused person you are never obliged to comment on the allegation. Anything said to the police can be used against you. Provide statements only through your defense attorney and only after reviewing the case file.
File inspection comes first
A sound defense against the allegation of Illegal Street Racing requires knowledge of the investigation file. Only once the available evidence is clear can we decide whether a statement is advisable or whether remaining silent is the better strategy.
Possible discontinuation of proceedings
Not every case ends in a main hearing. Depending on the evidence and any prior record, the proceedings may be discontinued for lack of sufficient suspicion (§ 170 II StPO), for triviality (§ 153 StPO) or subject to conditions (§ 153a StPO). Often a penalty order without a public trial can be achieved.
Victim-offender mediation and restitution
In many cases, victim-offender mediation or making good the damage (§ 46a StGB) can significantly reduce the sentence or enable a discontinuation. Whether this is advisable in your case is something we assess based on the file.
What we do after reviewing the file
We examine the evidence for reliability and admissibility, look for procedural errors, develop the defense strategy, negotiate with the public prosecutor on a discontinuation and represent you, if necessary, in the main hearing before the District Court or Regional Court of Bonn.
Available 24/7: +49 228 504 463 36
This information does not replace a review of the individual case. In criminal proceedings, the defence strategy depends substantially on the case file, the specific allegation and the evidence.
Why BAFTEH Strafverteidigung?
- Direct contact with your defense attorney – no intermediaries
- Available around the clock, including nights and weekends
- Fast file inspection and a clear defense strategy
- Focused exclusively on criminal law
- Defense in Bonn, Cologne and the entire region
Written by attorney Philip Bafteh, criminal defense lawyer in Bonn. Philip Bafteh publishes regularly on criminal and commercial law and defends accused persons in investigative and trial proceedings.
More about the attorney →Last updated: Juni 2026
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