Turkish government’s revenue from traffic fines increases 3.5 times in one year
While the Turkish Treasury recorded 14.6 billion liras in revenue from traffic fines in the January-May period of 2024, this marked a 3.5-fold increase compared to the same period last year.
Duvar English
Turkish authorities issued about 13.4 million traffic fines in the first six months of the year, according to the data of the General Directorate of Security Traffic Directorate reported by the daily BirGün.
Only in June, 2.36 million traffic fines were issued.
In parallel with the number of fines imposed, the Treasury's traffic fine revenue also doubled. The Treasury recorded 14.6 billion TL in revenue from traffic fines in the January-May period. Nearly 70 percent of the budget target set as 20.53 billion liras at the beginning of the year was collected merely in the January-May period.
In the gendarmerie region,traditionally peripheral areas, nearly 961,000 traffic fines were issued in the first six months of 2024. The monetary amount of traffic fines issued by the gendarmerie alone was about 2.7 billion Turkish lira.
In the January-May period of 2023, the Treasury recorded a revenue of 4.2 billion liras from traffic fines. In the same period of 2024, revenues from fines increased approximately 3.5 times in one year.
Overall revenues from fines reach 48 billion liras
Monetary fines categorized under judicial, administrative, tax, and other fines reached 48 billion liras in the January-May period.
In recent years, monetary fines have held a significant place in central government budget revenues, with tax fines accounting for 51 percent and administrative fines making up 44 percent of the overall monetary fines.
In the same period last year, 12.6 billion liras in fines were collected, whereas the total fines amounted 60.5 billion liras. In other words, 79 percent of the fines collected in all of last year were obtained by the Treasury in the first five months of 2024.
At the beginning of 2024, taxes, fees, and fines increased by 58.46 percent due to the revaluation rate.
As of January, the fine for running a red light rose to 1,506 liras, and the fine for illegal parking increased to 690 liras. The penalty for exceeding the speed limit ranges from 1,500 liras to 6,440 liras. The fine for driving under the influence ranged from 6,440 TL to 13,000 liras. The penalty for using a mobile phone while driving was set at 1,510 liras.
The revaluation rate for 2025 will be determined with the announcement of the October inflation figures.