Fewer and fewer people are being held hostage by order of the judiciary for failing to pay their traffic fine. In 2019, about 200 people were detained to force them to pay their fines
Minister Sander Dekker (Legal Protection) writes this to the Lower House. In 2014, this involved approximately 10,000 hostage-taking, but after a change in policy, that number had already dropped significantly to almost 800 in 2016. This sharp drop followed a critical report by the Ombudsman about these practices. Since then, the collection of fines has changed. For example, the Central Judicial Collection Agency (CJIB) takes into account the personal circumstances of the person who did not pay the fine. The public prosecutor and the judge are also aware of this. More payment options have also been realized and the CJIB has become more accessible for consultation about solutions.
According to Dekker, people are no longer taken hostage if they “demonstrably cannot and are willing to pay”. An increase in the fine, if not paid on time, would put them even further in debt. Customization is sought for these people if they raise the alarm. For example, the collection can be temporarily stopped if someone accepts debt counseling from the municipality. The policy change has had a major effect. According to the minister, only 0.002 percent of the approximately 9 million traffic fines each year leads to a hostage situation. This does not relieve you of the obligation to pay.
Research shows that 84 percent of fines imposed are paid before the first increase and 91 percent are paid after the second increase. According to the minister, the current system is working well and he does not intend to take new measures to accommodate people who are fined even more.