Attention: Starting today, there’s a higher chance of getting a speeding ticket

© Denny Müller via Unsplash

From Monday, August 3, through August 9, traffic police departments in the Netherlands and various European holiday destinations will be conducting stricter speed checks during Roadpol’s European “Speedweek,” a major collaboration among European traffic police departments.

Approximately 15,000 officers are expected to check some three million vehicles. In the past, such a campaign has resulted in about 150,000 fines. The fine amounts are the same as during the rest of the year, though they were increased in 2026. The operations will focus on unsafe stretches of road and vulnerable locations such as areas near schools, construction sites, and hospitals, but according to the ANWB, they will also target village centers and popular vacation routes.

Speed Week has been in existence since 2012. In the Netherlands, approximately 23,000 speeding tickets were issued during this week in 2024. German research shows that while the number of accidents does decrease during the week, this has no lasting effect on the annual total.

Not all European police forces are participating in the campaign. For those driving through Germany: thirteen states have confirmed their participation, but states such as Bavaria, Saarland, and Saxony are not taking part. In the Netherlands, it has not been announced which police forces are participating in the campaign.

Unlike the campaign week in April, there will be no 24-hour speed enforcement marathon; instead, the checks will be spread evenly throughout the week.

Picture: © Denny Müller via Unsplash - Illustrative image