ROME – Italians have expressed outrage after Il Sole 24 Ore reported Italians paid 1.535 billion euros in traffic fines in 2023.

 This is an increase of 6.4 percent from last year and an increase of 23.7 percent since 2019. The fines average out to 14.65 euros per capita.

 Florence was the hardest hit city with fines amounting to 71.8 million euros, an increase of 85.5. percent from 2019. Leader of Forza Italia in the Tuscan regional council, Marco Stella, said the fines were “scandalous” and that Florence was treating “citizens like ATMs.” On the other hand, Rome and Milan saw a slight decrease in fines.

 The number of paid fines was not evenly spread across the country with 84.3 percent of fine central and northern Italy being paid, whereas in the south only 15.7 percent of fines were collected, reaching as low as 12 percent in Palermo. Bologna was the place that collected the most fines, with 63.7 percent of fines being paid.

 Elsewhere throughout Italy, small municipalities with less than 10,000 residents collected on average 238.6 million euros.

 Speeding tickets were the main source of revenue. One speed camera at Passo di Giau in the Ampezzo Dolomites collected 747,094 euros in fines for the municipality of Colle Santa Lucia. This averaged to 2,159 euros for every resident of the town, 83 times higher than the national average, although most fines were for tourists.

 This particular speed camera was destroyed in January, part of a wave of destruction which has seen more than 15 speed cameras be cut down in northern regions of Italy.

 Matteo Salvini, leader of Lega and Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, said “as a ministry we are committed to limiting the number of speed cameras.” He acknowledged that “speed cameras are useful” but said “they cannot be placed everywhere, without any safety reasons, just to harass workers and motorists.”

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