Traffic offenders fined €225 million last year

Money obtained from traffic fines has almost doubled over the last seven years, from €125 million in 2007 to €225 million in 2013. 

However, this was only the amount obtained from fines according to national law. In addition to that there were also fines charged by local authorities.

The fines for drivers who had no windscreen sticker known as a "vignette", which is used by Austrian drivers to pay the annual motorway toll, increased from €10 million in 2007 to €25 million in 2013.

However, it remained unclear what the revenues obtained from traffic fines were used for.

Neither the ministry of infrastructure nor the ministry of finance could give details about this, as the money was split between about 300 different measures.

The system was criticised by the Austrian motorists association, the ÖAMTC, as well as by the Greens' spokesman for traffic Georg Willi – who said that it was not transparent and that there were differences among Austria's nine states which were beyond comprehension.