Most common fines for drivers in Spain (studies and statistics)
Traffic fines have become one of the main tools for road safety control in Spain. The most recent data show a clear duality: in intercity roads, Automated surveillance drives up fines for speed, while in cities the bulk of the sanctions come from parking, restricted access and cameras.
This entry analyzes what is fined most, where and why, relying on official figures from the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT), municipalities and statistical analyses published based on that data.
2024 Ranking: The most common traffic fines (DGT jurisdiction)
According to the DGT's annual report on traffic violations, in 2024 were formulated 5,413,507 sanctions on roads under their jurisdiction, with a revenue close to 540 million euros, the highest value in the recent historical series.
The distribution of infractions leaves no room for doubt.
Ranking of the most common traffic fines (DGT)
Speeding
3,440,530 complaints
It represents approx. the 64% of the total
expired or failed vehicle inspection
599,202 sanctions
Driving without a license
138,980 complaints
Using a mobile phone while driving
101,023 sanctions
Not wearing a seatbelt
100,766 complaints
Clear conclusion: on the road, Two out of every three fines are for speeding.. The automation of control (fixed, section and mobile radars) largely explains this hegemony.
Which offenses are increasing (and which are decreasing)
The year-on-year analysis reveals relevant changes in driving habits… and in control strategy.
Infractions on the rise
Drugs while driving: +5,5%
Use of screens and visual devices: +55%
Improper stops and parking: +18%
Offenses on the decline
Alcohol-5.8%
Do not wear a helmet-10.5%
Running red lights-22.5%
These variations usually coincide with specific surveillance campaigns, which confirms a recurring pattern: The more that is monitored, the more fines are issued..
In the city, parking is the main attraction.
When the focus shifts to urban areas, the pattern changes radically. Large cities account for millions of fines that They are not under the DGT's jurisdiction., but of municipal ordinances and automated systems.
Madrid: monthly fines, data by data
The Madrid City Council publishes a monthly dataset of all traffic fines, where the majority volume corresponds to:
improper parking,
excessive time spent in regulated areas,
unauthorized access to ZBE,
reserved lanes (bus/taxi).
Barcelona: almost one million fines per year
Barcelona, through the Institut Municipal d'Hisenda, registers approximately 935,000 sanctions annually related to urban traffic, with a very high weight of parking and from camera surveillance.
In summary: In the city, the fines aren't so much for how you drive, but where and for how long is the car left.
Why are these fines the most frequent?
From a statistical and operational point of view, there are three main reasons:
Automation
Radars, access cameras, license plate readers and digital control generate sanctions massively and continuously.Low margin of interpretation
Speeding, vehicle inspections or parking are objective infractions: you either comply or you don't.High recurrence
Small everyday oversights (5 km/h too high, expired ticket, forgotten MOT) affect millions of drivers every year.
What the data says, in one sentence
Road → Speeding and vehicle inspections account for the majority of penalties.
City → Parking and restricted access dominate the ranking.
Technology → Where there's a camera, there's a fine.
Statistics confirm that the sanctions system in Spain It is not based so much on isolated serious violations, but in millions of repeated minor breaches, which together account for most of the revenue.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the most common fine in Spain?
The most common fine in Spain is the speeding, which represents about two-thirds of all road fines managed by the DGT.
Where are more fines issued, on the highway or in the city?
In road Fines for speeding and vehicle inspections predominate, while in city Most of the sanctions are for improper parking and restricted access.
Are mobile phone fines on the rise?
Yes. The penalties for mobile phone and screen use while driving have increased significantly in recent years, coinciding with specific control campaigns.
Which cities issue the most traffic fines?
Large cities like Madrid and Barcelona They account for the largest volume of sanctions, mainly for parking, ZBE (Low Emission Zone) and camera control.
Do traffic fines increase every year?
Generally, yes. The data shows a sustained increase both in the number of sanctions and in revenue collection, driven by increased technological surveillance.
Sources that have been used (and why they matter)
DGT – “DGT in figures” (complaints and revenue): official repository with tables and files (Excel/PDF) on complaints and income from sanctions.
DGT campaigns and press releases: useful for understanding which infractions do they detect most often when surveillance intensifies (e.g., mobile phone/distractions).
Municipal open data portals (Madrid and Barcelona)These reflect the typical urban pattern (parking, cameras, low-emission zones). Madrid publishes a monthly dataset with details of processed fines.
Association reports based on DGT data (e.g., AEA): They provide pre-tabulated rankings and year-on-year comparisons, citing official figures from the DGT.
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