An average of 10 percent on it
Despite objections from various quarters, traffic fines have increased, on average by as much as ten percent. Justice Minister Dilan Yeşilgöz (VVD) has ignored a motion supported by a parliamentary majority.
Last month it emerged that a majority in Parliament wants to partially reverse the increase in traffic fines planned for this year. The increase would be done partly to close gaps in the budget and that argument is not well received. Previously, the Public Prosecution Service and the Council of State were also critical of increases due to budget gaps. None of this has prevented the fines from rising.
The new amounts came into effect on Friday. On average, the fine amounts will increase by 10 percent. For example, you now no longer have to pay €196 for speeding 20 km/h on the highway, but €216. Anyone holding a mobile phone behind the wheel will now lose €420, not €380, if caught. Some fines are increasing even faster. For example, you now pay €270 for unnecessary left-hand driving on the highway. That was previously €240, so this represents an increase of no less than 12.5 percent.
In conversation with the NOS Professor of traffic psychology Dick de Waard criticizes the increase. According to him, it cannot be justified from a road safety perspective. “The increases are undeniably about finances, it does not help the behavior of road users. If fines were very low and then increased, it might have an effect. But if a fine is already €380 and then goes to €420 , what are we talking about?” According to De Waard, stopping people more often could have an effect, especially for business drivers who are already ‘increasing’ in fines. The delay due to a stop is ‘more annoying’.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl