The Burrow
Sep 8, 2026
Driving fines can be annoying expenses most drivers pay at some point or another, but they exist to deter dangerous driving behaviours and keep the roads safe. Whether you are caught speeding or driving without a seatbelt, breaking traffic laws can have serious consequences that can add up to the overall cost of running your car.
However, driving fine penalties can differ from country to country. The car insurance comparison experts at Compare the Market have explored which country has the strictest driving fines. To do this, we created an index comparing penalties for four of the most common driving offences (minor speeding, running a red light, failing to wear a seatbelt, and illegally using a mobile phone while driving), to reveal which regions across Australia, the US, and Europe impose the toughest financial penalties.
Keep reading to find out how these countries differ from each other, and how understanding driving fines globally can help you avoid unexpected costs while promoting safer driving behaviours.
After analysing the data in our index, we gave each state/country an overall strictness score from 0 to 100. The higher the score, the harsher the penalties for certain driving behaviours are in that area.
Below are the highest-ranking Australian states and territories in our index and the factors that contribute to their high strictness scores.
Queensland is the strictest state for driving fines in Australia, with an overall strictness score of 100.00 (the highest score in the entire index). The reason is simple: Queensland has the most expensive driving fines for every driving behaviour in the country. Its scores for minor speeding fines, driving through a red light, driving without a seatbelt, and illegally driving while using a phone were all indexed at 100.00 – with some fines as high as AUD$1,295!
The most expensive fines for Queensland are for driving without a seatbelt and illegally using a phone, both of which have individual fine costs of AUD$1,295.00. This clearly indicates what the state identifies as the most common and dangerous problem among drivers, and it uses the high penalty as a deterrent.
So, if you ever have the opportunity to drive around Queensland, you’ll know what to watch for, and understanding the bigger implications of these dangerous driving habits will hopefully stop people from making those mistakes.
South Australia ranks as the second strictest state in Australia for driving fines, with an overall strictness score of 56.96.
The main factor contributing to this state’s ranking is its high minor speeding fine score (91.02) and its strong red light fine score (85.86), which cost AUD$323.00 and AUD$620.00, respectively. These costs aren’t far below Queensland’s, but would still put a dent in anyone’s wallet.
With the red light fine the second highest in the country and the minor speeding fine the third highest, it’s no surprise South Australia ranks so high among the strictest Australian states for driving fines.
Despite a higher score (91.84) and a standout fine (AUD$325.00) for minor speeding than South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory ranks as the third strictest state for driving fines in the country.
Another factor helping this state rank third is its second-highest driving without a seatbelt fine score (18.53), which can result in a fine of AUD$574.00. It also has the third-highest red light fine score (66.06), which can result in a AUD$522.00 fine.
This state’s mobile phone fine score (23.16) keeps it from passing the higher-ranked states, and it is much lower than Queensland’s score of 100.00, giving the Australian Capital Territory an overall strictness score of 49.90.
Ranking fourth in our index was Victoria, with an overall strictness score of 39.35.
While none of the scores top the index, it has the third-highest mobile phone fine score (24.52) and a red light fine score that ranks fourth-highest in the country (66.26), which can result in a penalty of AUD$523.00. However, the factor that keeps this state in fourth place is its driving without a seatbelt fine score (0.90), which is the second-lowest in Australia.
Rounding out our Australian top five is New South Wales, with an overall strictness score of 22.94.
With the second-lowest mobile phone fine score (1.47) and a driving without a seatbelt fine score that ranked in the bottom three (1.47), it’s apparent New South Wales is less harsh when it comes to driving penalties. The only fine that stands out in the index for this state is the red light fine score, which comes in at 74.14 and can result in a fine of AUD$562.00 – a more expensive fine than both Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory.
Now we have seen which states/territories in Australia are the strictest on driving fines; let’s look at the US and which states rank best for the same kinds of driving behaviours.
Oregon is the American state with the highest fines, with an overall strictness score of 57.09. The Pacific Northwest state has an interesting profile when it comes to driving penalties: although it ranks best among US states, it’s a bit up and down in which driving behaviours it penalises most.
Its highest score is the mobile phone fine score (100.00), which is the leading mobile phone fine score in the country, resulting in a fine of US$1,000.00. The only other major metric is its driving without a seatbelt fine score (72.22), which is still only the third-highest in the index. Every other metric is middling or on the lower end, but because the US has so many states with different levels of harshness regarding driver behaviour, Oregon still manages to pull ahead in the ranking.
Nevada, which had the second-highest strictness score of 53.41, ranks extremely well in some metrics and stumbles on others (much like Oregon).
Its highest scores are in minor speeding fines and in red light fines, which scored 94.74 and 100.00, respectively. With its red light fine score being the highest in the country, it’s no wonder this state ranks so well. This can result in a fine of US$1,000.00, the highest fine in the US, equal to Oregon’s mobile phone fine.
Nevada falters in its driving without a seatbelt fine score (13.89) and its mobile phone fine score (5.00).
North Carolina takes the bronze medal in the American portion of our index, with a total strictness score of 51.18.
Despite having a unimpressive mobile phone fine score (10.00), and one of the lowest red light fine scores (9.55), North Carolina still ranks high in other metrics. For example, it scored the highest in driver seatbelt fines (100.00), which could result in a penalty of US$180.00. It also has a reasonably high minor speeding fine score, with a score of 85.17 and a penalty cost of US$203.00.
Home of the Rocky Mountains, Utah ranks as the fourth highest in our index for strictest driving fines.
Leading this state is its mobile phone fine score (75.00), which is the second-highest in the country. It also has a notable minor speeding fine score (50.24), which is actually higher than Oregon’s 43.06. Because of these two metrics, Utah earns the number four spot, with a total strictness score of 40.45.
We finish our American top five with the state of Illinois, which earned a total strictness score of 38.91, meaning it is the cheapest of our top five states for driving fines.
This is shown by its minor speeding fine and red light fine each costing US$120.00, both of which are the cheapest costs out of the top five for these specific driving behaviours.
Despite this, Illinois still scores higher than some states in the top five for driving without a seatbelt. Under this metric, Illinois scored 91.11, which is higher than Oregon (72.22), Nevada (13.89), and Utah (25.00).
These varying metrics cement the point that across the US, different driving behaviours are fined more harshly than others, possibly to reduce these behaviours as much as possible. Being aware of these varying prices and attitudes can help you stay safe on the road and avoid harsh consequences.
In this section, we will cover the top five ranking European countries from our data to determine which countries take the toughest approach to dangerous driving behaviours.
Norway has the strictest driving fines in Europe, with a total score of 83.64. Rich in culture and heritage, Norway ranks exceptionally well in our index, with scores of 100.00 for minor speeding fines, red light fines, and mobile phone fines, giving it the second-best strictness score in the entire index behind Queensland, Australia (100.00). Driving illegally on your phone can result in a fine of EUR€879.49, and minor speeding can end with a fine of EUR€944.00. Dangerous driving carries significant consequences in Norway, reflecting its commitment to keeping drivers safe.
The only metric that stands out negatively for Norway is its driving without a seatbelt score (34.55). Even so, Norway is clearly trying to keep its drivers as safe as possible by implementing harsh fines for dangerous driving behaviours, which would hopefully deter anyone from committing these offences.
Greece earn the silver medal for Europe’s strictest countries, with a total score of 55.04.
The main metric in this country is its driving without a seatbelt fine score of 100.00. Drivers caught driving without a seatbelt can face a fine of EUR€350.00, which is an incredible amount for something as simple as putting on a seatbelt. However, seatbelts can save lives, and Greece is making this a priority by having it as its harshest driving fine. The Mediterranean country also ranks well for red light fines, with a score of 79.04 and a fine cost of EUR€700.00.
The only glaring metric is its score for minor speeding (6.84), which keeps it second overall in Europe.
Despite the Netherlands having a higher minor speeding fine score than Greece (18.65), and a better driving without a seatbelt fine score than Norway (51.07), it still ranks third overall in Europe.
Its third ranking comes from the red light fine score (34.67), which can result in a fine of EUR€320.00. Also, compared to the top two, the Netherlands never earns a score of 100.00 across any metric in the index. Even then, it has strong metrics overall, making it one of the harshest countries in Europe for driving fines.
Even though Denmark ranks fourth in the European index, it has a higher minor speeding fine score than Greece and the Netherlands (40.51), which could result in a fine of EUR€405.00. Denmark also has the second-highest driving without a seatbelt fine score (54.45), topping both Norway and the Netherlands.
Denmark ranks lower than the other three because its red light fine score (28.84) is quite poor. This gave Denmark an overall strictness score of 34.86.
Wrapping up Europe’s top five is Sweden, with an overall strictness score of 28.57. Sweden has a middling minor speeding fine score (33.89) and red light fine score (33.97), both of which were better than some countries that ranked higher. However, because of a poor mobile phone fine score (11.92), Sweden ranks only fifth in our index for strictest driving fines.
Our study shows that different parts of the world prioritise different driving behaviours. This is shown by countries enforcing higher penalties for certain behaviours than others.
Understanding where in the world stricter rules and local traffic laws are, and the importance of driving safely, can only improve your experience wherever you are and make sure you don’t run into heavy penalties that can often cost hundreds. After all, driving fines are there to encourage safer behaviour on the road, so if you stick to that, you shouldn’t have to worry about penalties.
Adrian Taylor, Chief Executive – General Insurance, believes that a firm understanding and proper safety measures are the key.
“Understanding local traffic rules, the harshness of certain penalties, and even common driving behaviours can help reduce the risk of unexpected fines, especially when driving in unfamiliar areas.
“Another way to keep your driving costs down and to make sure you have an extra layer of protection out on the road is to compare car insurance. It is a simple way to start and to make sure you have the right cover for your needs.”
Compare the Market analysed common driving fines across US states, Australian states/territories and European countries. Four fine types were compared: minor speeding, running a red light, driving without a seatbelt, and mobile phone use while driving.
Scoring:
For each metric, the lowest fine in the index received a score of 0 and the highest received a score of 100. Other locations are scored proportionally between those points. The final score is the average of the four metric scores. Normalising each metric keeps the index balanced.
A simple total of fines would allow one very high penalty to outweigh the other offences, while the normalised approach rewards locations that are consistently stricter across multiple fine types. The US and Australian rankings use state/territory level because road laws and fine schedules are primarily set or administered there. The European ranking uses country-level fine data because the moving-offence penalties collected for this study apply nationally or are reported at the national level.
The lowest normal/base fine was used where possible. School-zone, work-zone, corporate, commercial/heavy vehicle, child-restraint, repeat-offence, jail/court-only and aggravated-offence amounts were excluded where possible. Where a source gave a range, the lower/base amount was used. Where a source only gave an ‘up to’ amount, that cap was retained and flagged in the audit notes.
FX rates come from ExchangeRate-API public exchange-rate feed, accessed on 20 July 2026. Feed timestamp: Mon, 20 Jul 2026 00:02:31 +0000. Source URL: https://open.er-api.com/v6/latest/USD.
The dataset is a comparison based on the cited sources and is not legal advice or a definitive fine schedule. Fine amounts can change, may vary by circumstances and may include additional fees or enforcement costs. Values should be fact-checked against official sources before making travel, driving or legal decisions.
Data sources:
To view the 2026 version of this data, click here. To view the 2024 version of this data, click here.