That’s how much money the state makes from traffic fines

The number of fines in road traffic is increasing sharply, especially due to phone use. We calculate for you how much the state collects. And you shouldn’t be reading this article from behind the wheel.

To find out, let’s look at last year’s numbers. A total of 8,153,043 traffic fines were issued in 2022, the vast majority of them for speeding. An increase of 1.6%. In particular, the number of fines for using the phone while driving has increased. There are quite a number of fines and, moreover, fines in the Netherlands are generally not delicate.

685 million euros in traffic fines

For example, driving through a red light will cost you EUR 280, a call at the wheel will cost you EUR 380 and an unjustified pit stop in a disabled parking space will cost you as much as EUR 440. On average, however, a fine in 2022 cost a little less: 84 euros.

If we multiply 84 euros by 8,153,043 euros, the result is a considerable amount of almost 685 million euros. Almost 30 percent of Ahold Delhaize’s profit last year. From this perspective, the government’s greedy behavior is not so bad. In addition, many road traffic fines, such as for holding a phone and running a red light, are justifiably so. These violations cause the necessary accidents.

Cyclists also contribute to the treasury

Incidentally, it’s not just motorists who fill the state coffers. Last year, more than 53,000 cyclists were fined for possessing a mobile phone. A significant increase compared to last year when it was less than 46,000. As a cyclist, this fine will not cost you 380 euros, but “only” 150 euros. Still, texting cyclists brought the state nearly €8 million. That’s even more than the most active speed camera in the Netherlands.