Jessica also noticed that traffic fines can lead to debts: “You will only get further caught up in that web”

<img class="" src="https://eenvandaag-assets-avrotros-nl.cdn.ampproject.org/i/s/eenvandaag.assets.avrotros.nl/_processed_/d/f/csm_c830c454d94724802955_26cf0fb76d.jpg" alt="Dat verkeersboetes tot schulden kunnen leiden, merkte ook Jessica: 'Je raakt alleen maar verder in dat web verstrikt'" width="412" height="232" />

Traffic fines are good for the state coffers, but at the same time push thousands of people into debt. Jessica van Hinthem experienced it personally: “It's not about not wanting to pay. It's about not being able to pay.”

Merel van Rooy writes about the effect of fines in her book De Boetefuik, which will be released this spring. “It is precisely people who have little money that are hardest hit,” she knows. According to Van Rooy, traffic fines play a major role in the Dutch debt problem.

'The government is the biggest creditor'
“There are 120,000 households in the Netherlands with a tripled traffic ticket and problematic debts. The government is simply the biggest creditor,” she says.

She insists that high traffic fines and reminders are being used to raise the state's coffers. “It's the chicken with the golden eggs, but those reminders are paid by the baldest chickens, by the people who are least able to afford them.”

Financial clamp
Jessica van Hinthem experienced first-hand how things can go wrong. Years ago, her husband lost his job as an international driver and started working as a temporary worker. When the payment of his salary was delayed, the family was financially strapped.

“For a long time, we thought it was going to be fine, but in the long run, we were no longer able to pay our fixed costs,” says Jessica.

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Penalty tripled
It was also no longer possible to pay for car insurance. During a trip to the dentist with her two young children, she ran into trouble. “I drove into a trap and was fined about 400 euros. The car was impounded, and I had to walk 7 kilometers home with a baby in the car seat and a toddler on my neck.”

She was unable to pay the fine and after two reminders, the fine was tripled. “It's really going really fast.”

Further into the abyss
She understands that a fine is intended to scare off: “Look, if you've done something wrong, you should be on your feet. But if I can't pay the first penalty, I won't be able to double it either, and I certainly won't be able to pay the duplication. Then it's just pushing people further into the abyss.”

She continues: “I understand that you want to hurt people in their wallets if they make a mistake. Only people who are in financial trouble only get further caught up in that web.”

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How traffic fines lead to even higher debts among people already living in poverty

Total sum greater than debts
“I think nine times out of ten, it's not about not wanting to pay at all. It's about not being able to pay,” says Jessica.

She now advises policy makers on how to deal with debt problems and sees that the current system often does not work. “Our total principal amount of debt was 23,000 euros, but the real debt was less than 6,000 euros. The rest consists only of court costs, collection costs, meanings, reminders and so on.”

'The poor pay more'
André Moerman from the consultancy website SchuldInfo also sees that there are errors in the system. “Once you are low on money and are unable to pay fines, the costs will only increase and increase due to the costs of collection and the bailiff.”

As an example, he takes a fine of 300 euros from the Central Judicial Collection Agency (CJIB). “After several reminders and bailiff costs, this can amount to 2,000 euros. So that actually means: 'The poor pay more'. The less you have, the more expensive you end up spending. That is, of course, bizarre.”

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Payment scheme
In a response, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice and Security, which includes the CJIB, writes: “The increases are substantial, but can be prevented by paying the traffic ticket on time or using a payment arrangement.”

Moerman acknowledges that you can make a payment arrangement if you are unable to pay a penalty, but he believes that more is needed. For example, the CJIB and other creditors should work better together, he says.

“What's going on?”
Jessica agrees. “Instead of sending reminders, it would work better if someone asks: “What's wrong with you not insured your car? Are there any more problems? '”

“And that you can then start looking together at how you can get these people out of those problems.”