Belgium investigates app accused of encouraging illegal street racing, speeding

Belgian authorities are investigating an international mobile application accused of encouraging illegal street racing and excessive speeding, local media reported Friday.

Federal Mobility Minister Jean-Luc Crucke launched an investigation into TripRank, an application popular among street racers, according to Belgian daily Het Laatste Nieuws.

Although the application's terms and conditions explicitly prohibit reckless driving and street racing, its scoring system allegedly rewards users for reaching higher speeds.

Drivers worldwide can compete against one another through a virtual leaderboard, earning more points as their speed increases. Reaching 250 kilometers per hour (155 miles per hour) is classified as a "very good score" displayed on a user's profile.

It remains unclear whether Belgium will ban the application.

"We are aware of the existence of this app and are further examining the situation with the relevant partners and involved actors, including the justice system," Crucke told the newspaper.

"Promoting inappropriate or excessive speeding is absolutely undesirable and contradicts our efforts towards road safety," he added.

Belgium's federal police and road safety institute Vias also warned against the application, saying it encourages extremely dangerous driving behavior.

TripRank has reportedly been downloaded approximately 250,000 times worldwide. The number of users in Belgium remains unknown.