Dutch police handed out 500,000 fewer traffic fines last year than they did in 2023, but there was a rise in fines for motorists ignoring no-entry signs due to traffic calming measures.

Most fines — almost six million — were given for speeding, although the total was still down by 597,000 compared to 2023. Parking fines decreased by 10,000, fines for jumping red lights dropped by around 20,000, and fines for driving while phoning fell by 33,000.

At the same time, nearly 300,000 people were fined for ignoring signs prohibiting access to certain roads, often because the area was designated as car-free or subject to other anti-car measures.

Police attribute the drop partly to the replacement of some speed cameras on busy roads, which meant they were out of operation for a time.

In addition, fewer cars were stopped by police. “That could be due to a shift in priorities toward more serious offences such as drunk driving, the police campaign for higher pay, and the deployment of large numbers of officers elsewhere,” the public prosecution department statement said.