Overview
- The Dutch data protection authority, which published its findings Thursday, estimates that scan cars issue about half a million wrong tickets each year.
- Municipal scanners run 250 million to 375 million license-plate checks a year, producing 3 million to 5 million fines.
- The cars capture only a snapshot, so they miss context like brief loading or unloading and paper disability permits placed behind the windshield.
- When people challenge these tickets, 40% to 62% are canceled, yet most must pay first and slow, opaque notices can cause fines to pile up.
- The watchdog told municipalities to keep people in charge on the street, do proper privacy checks before using scan cars, map error hotspots, and clearly explain the system to drivers.