Where does the money from speeding fines go?
Amid the public debate surrounding speed cameras, many have speculated about a "secret police fund." In reality, the mechanism works differently. "HaMashrokik" explains.
Few recent reports have caused as much stir as the news that the Israel Police Traffic Division is adjusting enforcement thresholds for stationary A-3 speed cameras. Instead of a uniform threshold, some cameras will now be calibrated based on road characteristics, traffic volume, accident history, and the risk level of the specific segment. For drivers, this means that in certain locations, a fine may be issued even for relatively minor speed limit violations.
Why is the police taking this step? "It is important to emphasize that the goal of enforcement is not to issue fines," the Israel Police stated, "but first and foremost to save lives, prevent accidents and fatalities, create deterrence, and reduce the number of casualties in traffic accidents." However, many in the public remain skeptical, arguing that the primary motive is financial. But does the police actually profit from this?
Does the money go to the police?
The short answer is no. Money from speeding fines is not routed to the specific camera, the road where the violation occurred, or even the Israel Police budget. A traffic fine is state revenue. Once paid, the money is collected through government mechanisms and enters the general public treasury.
From there, it is used to finance all government expenditures as approved by the Knesset: defense, education, health, transportation, welfare, law enforcement, infrastructure, and debt repayment. Contrary to what many drivers assume, there is no "closed fund" where every shekel from a speeding fine automatically returns to increase police resources, install safety barriers, or repair roads.
The goal is safety, the destination is the budget
This distinction is crucial because it separates two different questions. The first is why the state imposes fines: officially, the goal is deterrence, behavior modification, and accident reduction. The second is what happens to the money after the fine is paid. The answer is straightforward: the funds become part of the state budget and are not necessarily earmarked exclusively for road safety.
How much money are we talking about?
Data from the Knesset Research and Information Center helps illustrate the scale of these receipts: between 2012 and 2015, traffic fines yielded approximately 180 million shekels to the state treasury annually. Speeding fines accounted for 15% of the total fines during those years. According to data obtained by the Movement for Freedom of Information in response to a request to the Israel Police, the A-3 camera system—used for automatic enforcement of speed and red-light violations—brought nearly 600 million shekels into the state treasury over the four-year period from 2016 to 2019.
It is important to remember that fines are not an ideal source of income. If enforcement is truly effective, drivers are expected to slow down, which should lead to a decrease in fine revenue. Therefore, safety policy cannot rely on fines as a permanent budgetary engine.
