In the first half of 2022, significantly more money was earned from road traffic fines than in the previous year. One factor could be the new version of the fine regulation in November 2021.
Schwerin (dpa/mv) – The income of the municipalities in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania from fines in road traffic increased after the new version of the catalog of fines in November 2021. Most of the money went into the coffers of the district of Ludwigslust-Parchim. The district administration in Parchim announced that the payments increased from 1.9 million euros to 3.2 million euros in a comparison of the first half of 2021 and 2022. The number of administrative fines, on the other hand, only increased from around 39,000 to around 49,600.
The situation is similar in the rest of the country: In the state capital of Schwerin, it went up from 682,000 euros to 1.1 million euros, in Western Pomerania-Greifswald from 1.1 to around 1.9 million euros. The city and district of Rostock could not provide any figures.
However, the local authorities warn that the data should be interpreted cautiously: In 2021 there was a significantly lower volume of traffic due to the restrictions caused by the pandemic, according to a spokesman for the Mecklenburg Lake District district. This includes the lockdown, the increased work in the home office and the decline in tourist numbers. From the point of view of the authorities, it is still not possible to draw any conclusions from a comparison of only two years as to the extent to which the higher penalties have an effect on the behavior of road users.
In November 2021, the new catalog of fines came into force after tough negotiations between the federal and state governments. For example, anyone who parks illegally on sidewalks and cycle paths or in the second row can face a fine of up to 110 euros. If another road user is obstructed, significantly higher penalties may be due. If you drive 11 to 15 kilometers per hour (km/h) too fast in town, you have to pay 50 euros (previously 25 euros), if you are 16 to 20 km/h too fast, you pay 70 euros (instead of 35 euros).
