Additional action days and deployment of modern control tools
This year, besides their regular enforcement efforts, the police held 21 extra action days in Southern Netherlands to check for smartphone use while driving. During these action days, the bus was deployed to detect whether drivers were using their phones, and on average ten follow-up cars were used for stops. The MONOcam was also used extra, allowing smartphone use to be detected from viaducts. Furthermore, in 2025 the Public Prosecution Service deployed new focus cameras for the first time, which can register distraction from the road. So far in 2025, the focus cameras have detected and fined 45,000 violations across the Netherlands. The Public Prosecution Service is working closely with road managers to expand the number of locations in various provinces. In 2026, 50 focus cameras will be available in the Netherlands, rotating across different locations.
Violations remain high: distraction still a major problem
Despite various measures, such as the MONO campaigns and traffic enforcement, distraction in traffic remains a persistent problem. During the action days, 2,417 fines were issued for holding a phone while driving. 1,525 drivers were stopped by the police, during which, besides the fine, conversations were held about the dangers of distraction. The MONOcam detected 892 violations during the action days, with fines to follow later. Including daily controls, approximately 40,000 fines were issued in Southern Netherlands in 2025 for phone use while driving. These figures again show that distraction in traffic is a major problem for traffic safety.
Risks and fines: awareness remains necessary
The police, Public Prosecution Service, and provinces emphasize that traffic safety is a shared responsibility. Drivers using their smartphones while driving have 2.5 times higher risk of an accident. Moreover, controls on distraction go beyond phone use: other forms of distraction – such as reading, applying makeup, or watching videos – are dangerous and can result in fines. The fine for holding a phone will increase to €440 in 2026.
Driving MONO together for safer traffic
To make roads safer, the police, Public Prosecution Service, and provinces urge all road users to consciously choose MONO driving: put the phone away, activate the do-not-disturb function, and make agreements with your employer and social environment to be offline while on the road. By staying fully focused on the road, we can structurally reduce the number of traffic victims in Southern Netherlands.