Almost 3 million minor traffic offences recorded in the second four-month period of 2022

In the second four-month period of 2022 (May–August), 2,937,812 minor traffic offences were penalised under the Traffic Regulations (Administrative Enforcement) Act (Wet administratiefrechtelijke handhaving verkeersvoorschriften, Wahv). This is more than 1% less than in the same period last year, when 2,977,737 traffic fines were imposed for offences including speeding, running red lights and use of handheld mobile phones. These figures have been published in the second four-monthly Wahv summary for 2022.*

The number of minor traffic offences recorded in the second four-month period this year is in line with that for the same period in the previous year, but higher than that for 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic resulted in less traffic on the roads.

The number of minor traffic offences detected with digital enforcement equipment decreased slightly, from 2,822,256 in the months of May to August 2021 to 2,766,195 in the same period in 2022. By contrast, the number of traffic stops was higher this year than last year. In the second four-month period of this year, 171,617 traffic fines were issued following traffic stops, compared with 155,481 in the same period in 2021.

Most traffic fines were imposed for speeding

The majority of traffic fines were imposed for speeding: 2,370,783 in the second four-month period of 2022 compared to 2,514,616 in the same period last year. The majority of these offences were detected with digital enforcement equipment using number plate recognition technology. In May–August 2022, 1,106,284 speeding offences were detected by speed cameras, 786,637 by section control systems and 430,829 by mobile radar equipment.

The number of offences detected by section control systems decreased from 849,545 last year to 786,637 this year. This decrease was mainly noticeable among section control systems on N roads, which have been active since 2020 and 2021. Now that these checks have been in place for some time, drivers are less likely to violate the speed limit. This is beneficial to road safety. Also, section control systems were less frequently available on certain roads due to maintenance work.

Using a handheld mobile phone in traffic

In the second four-month period of this year, the number of offences involving use of a handheld mobile phone in traffic increased by almost a third compared with the same period last year. Last year, 47,438 people were caught using a handheld mobile phone while driving a vehicle. The number this year was 66,150. Almost a third of them were cyclists (21,029, compared to 16,155 last year). The police has deployed so-called MONOcams throughout the country. These are capable of detecting the use of a handheld mobile phone behind the wheel. Drivers using a handheld mobile phone canalso be caught by undercover police travelling in coaches. Removing distractions is one of the priorities of traffic law enforcement.

Foreign-based traffic offenders

In the second four-month period of 2022, 358,108 traffic fines were issued to foreign-based traffic offenders, an increase on the 330,867 issued in the same period in 2021. This may be because tourists have returned to the Netherlands following the coronavirus pandemic.

* 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.