“It is therefore an increase that is almost five times as high,” says Independer car expert Menno Dijcks. All new amounts are also rounded up to the nearest ten. Wrong parking was 100 euros, that will go to 110 euros next year. There are also collection costs of 9 euros on top.
According to the Ministry of Justice and Security, the strong increase is the result of the high inflation of recent times and that is reflected in the traffic fines. The costs of traffic violations are adjusted based on the consumer price index for the months of June 2021 and June 2022.
That alone results in an increase of 9 percent. Because the amounts will also be rounded to tens from 2023, the increase is even higher. “And there is even more bad news for motorists,” says Independer’s car expert Menno Dijcks. “We also notice that some insurers are already increasing their rates. However, we do not yet see a trend in the entire market.”
In The Hague, not everyone agrees about the increases. Life is already becoming considerably more expensive and a number of political parties do not consider it necessary to also increase traffic fines. A frequently heard counter-argument is that fines are an easily avoidable expense. Then you better behave in traffic.
Below you can see an overview of the types of traffic fines and what you will lose if you commit the offense in 2023. The amounts are therefore still provisional. It will be discussed again in the House of Representatives in about two weeks.
You will be fined €50:
– if your registration certificate is illegible
– if you refuse to show the registration certificate or cannot show the registration certificate
You will be fined €110:
– if you drive with an expired driving license (less than a year).
– if your driver’s license is illegible
– if you stop at a location where this is not allowed (for example a bicycle path or in a tunnel)
– if you drive in built-up areas without lighting
– if you are parked incorrectly or do not pay for parking
You will be fined €160:
– if your license plate is not legible
– if you or a passenger do not wear a seatbelt while driving
– if you are driving without a valid MOT, unless you are on your way to the inspection
– if you are driving on a footpath or cycle path
– if you park the car dangerously or inconveniently, for example in front of an emergency exit
– when you are stopped at an intersection
– if you report an error
– if you are driving outside built-up areas without lighting, or if visibility is poor, such as thick fog
– if you drive unnecessarily on the verge
– when driving on a bus lane
– if you drive with worn or damaged tires
You will be fined €240:
– if you drive unnecessarily on the left on the motorway or highway
– if you have small children in the car, but they are not in a child seat
– if there are more passengers in the car than there are seat belts in your car
You will be fined €280:
– if you refuse to cooperate with an alcohol test
– when you overtake on the right
– if you cause unnecessary noise nuisance, for example by honking
– if you drive unnecessarily on the left, outside a motorway or highway
– if you block an intersection
– if you do not give way to the right
– if you do not give way when turning
– if you make unnecessary use of the hard shoulder
– when you run a red light
– if you are driving on a section of road marked ‘no driving’, such as an eviction zone
– if you drive with a leaking engine
Other fines
In addition to everything above, there are a number of fines that have their own rate. These are as follows:
– Holding the mobile while driving: € 380
– Unjustified parking in a disabled parking space: € 350
– Parking a car with stickers for the purpose of advertising: € 210
– Failing to give way to a priority vehicle, such as a fire truck with a siren: €350
– Driving with a leaking exhaust: € 320
– Too loud exhaust: € 320
Driving without insurance
Even if you are stopped by an agent who finds that your car is uninsured, he may give you a hefty fine. That does not mean that you only have a problem if you are arrested. If you cause damage with your uninsured car, the costs are of course for your own account. But you can also get a fine from the National Road Traffic Agency (RDW). “The RDW checks whether cars are insured,” says Dijcks. If not, you will be fined 400 euros. You have an insurance obligation from the moment you own the car. So make sure you take out good car insurance as soon as possible.”
Speeding fines for cyclists
As a cyclist you can also drive too fast. Admittedly: on a normal bicycle it is quite difficult to exceed 30 kilometers per hour. But with the growing popularity of e-bikes, it is good to take a closer look: for a speed of up to 10 kilometers per hour too fast you will be fined 40 euros. Above that, the fine is 60 euros.