More than 2.2 million traffic offences in first four months of 2021

In the first four months of 2021, 2,233,562 minor traffic offences were detected, which included speeding, running red lights and the hand-held use of mobile phones. This is less than in the same period last year. During that period, 2,481,352 fines were issued for minor traffic offences on Dutch roads under the Traffic Regulations (Administrative Enforcement) Act (Wet administratiefrechtelijke handhaving verkeersvoorschriften, Wahv). This is evident from the first four-monthly summary of traffic fines for 2021.*

Comparing the first four months of this year to the same period last year is difficult, as the traffic picture changed dramatically in mid-March 2020 after the government’s call to stay home as much as possible because of the coronavirus and not to travel unnecessarily. In addition, a number of section control systems were temporarily switched off in the first four months of this year due to maintenance and road works, as a result of which fewer speeding offences were detected.

The decrease in the number of identified minor traffic offences under the Wahv is primarily visible in the number of offences detected using number plate recognition. This number fell from 2,302,300 in the first four months of 2020 to 2,065,079 in the same period this year. The number of arrests also fell, but less sharply: from 179,052 in the first four months of last year to 168,483 in the same period this year.

Speeding

Speeding is the most frequently detected traffic offence. In the first four months of this year, 1,815,021 fines were issued for exceeding the speed limit, compared to 2,005,734 in the same period last year. Most speeding offences are detected using number plate recognition through digital means.

In the first four months of 2021, 720,366 speeding offences were detected with the help of a speed camera, compared to 895,309 in the same period in 2020. The number of speeding offences detected with mobile radar equipment increased slightly, from 468,363 in the first months of 2020 to 495,976 this year. The number of speeding offences detected by section control systems decreased from 614,520 in the first four months of 2020 to 554,308 this year.

Foreign-based traffic offenders

In line with the overall picture, the number of minor traffic offences detected involving vehicles with foreign number plates also decreased in the first four months of 2021. The number of traffic fines issued under the Wahv to foreign-based traffic offenders fell from 258,306 in the first four months of 2020 to 167,139 in the same period this year.

* The four-monthly summary of traffic fines pursuant to the Wahv, also known as the Mulder Act, is compiled by the Ministry of Justice and Security, the National Police, the Central Judicial Collection Agency (CJIB) and the Public Prosecution Service (OM).